


Learning about a Goddess

by LetsTussleBoiz



Series: Life with a Goddess [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Adult!Sothis, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, F!Byleth, F/F, Intys y'all are fucked let me show u how to make a Not Child Goddess, Mutual Pining, Pining, Where Sothis actually remembers things in a convenient way, dumb lesbians
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:27:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 36,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21543748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetsTussleBoiz/pseuds/LetsTussleBoiz
Summary: Byleth had spent most of her life dreaming of a young girl with green hair asleep on a throne. Now that she has woken up, Byleth isn't sure what to make of her.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, My Unit | Byleth & Sothis, My Unit | Byleth/Sothis, Rhea & Sothis (Fire Emblem)
Series: Life with a Goddess [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552645
Comments: 63
Kudos: 475





	1. Revelation

**Author's Note:**

> Phew! Hello everyone, and welcome to my Adult!Sothis x F!Byleth fic. I was a huge fan of Sothis before I even TOUCHED the game (she was actually what drew me to buying it, despite me being an Edelgard fan in the end), but it was immensely frustrating that she was a loli. Because Intys apparently has a loli quota they need to meet with each of their games.
> 
> Well heck that! She has the personality of an adult, has given birth to children, talks like a LITERAL GRANDMA in Japanese, and even has an ORIGINAL ADULT FORM in her mural. So why not give her the justice she deserves and make her an ACTUAL adult?
> 
> Originally this was going to be a 14k+ word single chapter of a three part series, but my friend Mado convinced me otherwise. The structure will be as follows:  
> \- Fic 1 will cover White Clouds, with two chapters each consisting of ~7k words. I have Chapter 2 written as well, I'm just staggering the release.  
> \- Fic 2 will cover all of Silver Snow, with only a singular chapter of probably 5-8k words. Most of this will not be from Byleth's perspective.  
> \- Fic 3 will be post-Silver Snow, so, spoiler warning in advance lol
> 
> As always your feedback is immensely appreciated, and comments are fuel to the fire. The more comments, the faster I write!~
> 
> A huge shout-out to Nexidava, Abigail, Apple, and Remi for helping beta the fic an giving me feedback every step of the way. Hopefully their critiques will help me avoid being cancelled :V
> 
> Enjoy!

###  **_Chapter 1_ **

Sothis floated in front of Byleth’s face, yawning dramatically as her floor length green hair dragged across the well kept stone tiles of the Black Eagle classroom. Byleth paid her little mind, tapping the board with the pommel of her sword as she lectured.

It had been a little over a moon since Sothis had awoken following the encounter in Remire Village. She wasn’t sure what she thought of this blue haired woman that fate had so recklessly tied her to. Her face was devoid of almost any emotion, save for the occasional slight smile or raised eyebrow. Of course, Sothis could read Byleth’s emotions clear as day, even as subdued as they were. They shared a body, after all.

As Byleth continued the class, Sothis whizzed around the room, hovering in front of each student in turn. She especially scrutinized the girl with white hair, whom Sothis was quite certain she did not like.

“What was her name again? Ethel-whatsit?” Sothis wondered aloud, inspecting her closely.

Byleth turned and arched an eyebrow. “Edelgard von Hresvelg, would you be willing to explain this diagram?”

“Certainly, Professor!” Edelgard replied firmly, beaming at her. Sothis rolled her eyes, smirking at the young princess.

“She sure is eager to please, hmm? Thank you for the assistance, Byleth.” She smiled, then added coyly, “You are certainly aware of how bad my memory is.”

Byleth said nothing in response, but Sothis could feel the faint flicker of amusement in the back of her vessel’s mind, mixed with a childish pride for having been thanked so earnestly. _I am certain that if the others could see what I see, they would not be nearly as awestruck with this young whelp,_ she thought idly, humming to herself.

Sothis froze, frowning slightly. Whelp? By all accounts Byleth had to be older than her, with the difference in their size and her physical similarity to a human child. She’d glimpsed her reflection in the mirror a few times while Byleth was out and about without her, and Sothis would place her best estimate for her own age at twelve years old. Appearance-wise, at least.

 _Yet why does that feel so wrong?_ Sothis wondered. Yawning, she shrugged her shoulders and shoved the matter aside for future-Sothis to take care of.

Stretching out her arms behind her, she settled into a relaxed posture, floating in a lazy orbit above Byleth’s head.

“Wake me up if you need me. I am in desperate need of a nap.”

 _And I thought Linhardt was sleepy,_ Byleth thought idly to herself.

“Hey, I heard that! Do not speak as though I am not here to listen.”

Byleth hid her mouth behind her hand, hoping the class wouldn’t notice her smiling.

_Oops._

* * *

_Lungs burning and gasping for air, Sothis reached down to tighten the linen bandages wrapped around her leg. The cloth was soaked in a green ichor that darkened with each passing second. Satisfied, she plucked the bundle of blankets from the floor, smiling at the happy face that cooed back at her._

_“There, there, little_ _⬛⬛⬛⬛_ _, it is okay. Momma’s got you…”_

* * *

Raindrops dripped from the overhanging slats of the dormitories, a cold breeze blowing a few droplets against Byleth’s coat. Ignoring the chill, she pushed into her room, quickly shutting the door behind her. She turned, giving a pointed stare to the green haired girl floating above her bed. Sothis returned her gaze with a sheepish grin.

“What is the matter, Byleth?”

Byleth folded her arms. “I thought we discussed this, Sothis. You’re not supposed to interrupt me during lectures. I’m overwhelmed as it is.”

Sothis waved a hand dismissively, floating over to Byleth and flipping upside down, her hair tumbling over her shoulders in waves. “Oh come now, all I did was ask a few questions during class.”

“You also emitted a bright light that nearly blinded me in the middle of a duel with Caspar. If I were a less experienced fighter, he might have taken me in the neck with his axe. Even then, it was quite surprising.”

“What light?”

Raising an eyebrow, Byleth turned to her desk and snatched the lantern from it. She dropped a crumpled piece of paper into the flame, the light flaring slightly as it consumed the burnable material.

“You were like that. All of a sudden you flared up and… wait. Did you get taller?”

Sothis’ eyes went wide. She flitted over to the full length mirror, inspecting her figure. It was true; she had grown taller. Her smaller stature had grown to be even with Byleth’s shoulders. In addition to her height, she had filled out more in pretty much every aspect.

“It is almost as though I have… aged.”

Byleth observed her critically. “Maybe ghosts mature at different rates than humans?”

Rolling her eyes, Sothis did her best to bop her vessel on the nose. Unfortunately, due to her intangible nature, her finger simply passed right through. “We have been over this, Byleth. I am not a ghost! Still… you have a point. This is clearly not natural, as if I have aged four years overnight. One could not be faulted for mistaking me for a student as I am now.”

“Can you think of anything that happened to trigger this?”

Sothis frowned, raising a hand to her head. Her gaze darkened as she tried to focus on the muddled thoughts that refused to form. “I… I think I had a different dream than usual. The details are obfuscated, but I felt… more mature. Someone was there with me as well, but I cannot remember their face or name.”

“Interesting.” Byleth murmured, pulling up a chair and sitting down in front of her. “Do you remember anything else?”

Shaking her head, Sothis moved to sit in the air across from Byleth. “Nothing so specific. It is like something is preventing me from remembering what I saw.”

Byleth sighed. “I wish I could be more help. I’ve heard people talk of dreams before, but mine have always been either about you or a battle in a field.”

Sothis smiled, shrugging and settling to the floor. She wobbled a bit, coming to terms with her newfound height. “Well, hopefully this does not happen too often, or I will end up even taller than you, Byleth. How awkward that would be.”

“I can’t imagine it.”

A knock at the door snapped both of their gazes away. Byleth pulled open the latch covering the window, only to be confronted with her father’s face.

She opened the door quickly, giving him a slight smile. “What is it, father?”

Jeralt towered in front of the door frame, his broad shoulders and thick arms making him nearly too wide to fit through the door. He stooped his head slightly, ducking under the frame and stepping into the room. His eyes had dark bags under them, and Byleth could hear his joints popping as he stretched.

“Sorry to bother you so late in the day, kid. It occured to me that I never came to take a look at my daughter’s room.”

He gave a brief glance around, nodding appreciatively. “Your residence is far better than what I had back in the day.”

“Did you need something, Father?”

Jeralt inspected her, then sighed, scratching his head and avoiding her piercing blue stare.

“As formal as always, huh,” Jeralt muttered to himself. Then, to Byleth, “I heard you talking. Is everything okay?”

Byleth froze, her eyes momentarily drifting to Sothis. The girl was smirking at her, arms folded behind her head as she floated indifferently behind Jeralt.

“Nobody, father. I was just... sorting out my thoughts.”

He sighed, nodding in agreement. “It’s been a hectic moon. I’m proud of you, kiddo.”

She smiled slightly wider than usual.

“Your mother would be proud, too.”

Byleth tilted her head at the uncharacteristic mention of her mother, but before she could respond, Jeralt had already stood up and made for the door.

“Oh, and one other thing, kid.”

“Yes?”

“Give those bandits hell.”

As her father departed, Sothis slipped into Byleth’s view, her face red with anger. “What was that?” She shouted, lips trembling.

Byleth met her gaze, bewildered. “I don’t know what you’re referring to.”

“Honestly, the things parents have to go through when raising children is bad enough. Yet here you are making your father’s life even more difficult by maintaining that infuriatingly neutral expression of yours.”

“But… this is how I always look.”

“Yes, but you forget that I know how you feel, Byleth Eisner.” Sothis was in full chide-mode. Byleth estimated it would be another hour before she could go to sleep, if not more.

“Try and show a little more feeling next time, for the sake of your exhausted father. You are enough of a handful as it is.”

Byleth nodded. “Okay. I’ve been feeling a little more in touch with everything after you woke up, anyways.”

“Oh? Should you not be saying something to me then?”

Her vessel blinked, confused.

“Like maybe THANKING me, for instance.”

“Oh. Right. Thank you, Sothis.”

She nodded decisively, content with Byleth’s response. “You are welcome.”

Sothis tossed her hair back, peering out the window of their shared room. The view was distorted by droplets of water running down the length of the glass. As the rainstorm continued, moonlight danced about the room as it filtered through the soaked pane. Byleth stood next to her, a slight smile vastly underplaying how comfortable she really felt. Chuckling, Sothis reached out in a pantomime of tousling her hair.

“So what shall we do next?”

Shrugging, Byleth folded her arms and continued to stare out the window. “We don’t really have a lot to go on. Dad said not to trust Rhea, so I guess we keep an eye on her when we can, and do our job.”

“‘Our’ job?” Sothis echoed, smirking.

Byleth nodded again. “Of course. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you.”

“O-oh. Of course! How could you possibly survive without my timeless advice.”

Sothis didn’t have to look at Byleth to tell that she was sporting the biggest smile she’d ever had to date.

“I’m not sure I could, Sothis.”

* * *

Byleth skidded back a few steps, her heels digging into the soft dirt under the weight of the bandit’s axe. The man smirked confidently, letting out a guttural roar and charging at her. With a grace akin to a mountain cat, Byleth stepped to the side of the blow. She took the bandit by the throat with her next strike.

“The way you fight is truly unique,” Sothis observed, casually inspecting the fallen bandit, “but I worry that it will get us killed one day.”

Smiling slightly, Byleth wiped her blade clean on the grass and observed the field. Her students had fared well, only sustaining minor injuries that Linhardt was quick to heal. Edelgard and Hubert had claimed to possess more combat experience than the other students, and they had kept true to their word. The two handled the battle with a skill that the others lacked.

Eyes locking on a group of bandits attempting to circle behind her students, Byleth shouted some quick orders and dashed away in their direction. Sothis started after her when something caught her eye. She paused, her gaze focused on the ruins scattered throughout the canyon, frowning at the aged architecture. Running her hands along a collapsed wall, she stopped when her fingers dragged across a divot in the stone. Carved there was a symbol that looked like a crest.

As she focused on the carving, a sharp pain spiked in the front of her head. She cried out, falling to the floor and massaging her temples. Her vision instantly darkened, threatening to overwhelm her.

 _What.. what just happened?_ She thought, dazed. She had no corporeal form to interact with, so an enemy attack was improbable.

 _Sothis!_ Behind the pain, Sothis could hear Byleth cry out in her mind. Right before she collapsed, she watched as Byleth charged back up the hill, eyes wide and sword in hand.

 _Silly fool,_ Sothis thought idly, before slipping into the cradle of black.

* * *

_Everything hurt._

_“So much devastation,” Sothis muttered to herself, dragging herself through the entrance to the canyon, “and for what?”_

_As she made her way through the fledgling village, her eyes settled on a small girl with bright green pigtails. The child was using a sharpened stick to carve something into the wall._

_“Miss Sothis?” The girl spotted her, hopping to her feet and running over to tug at her sleeves. Sothis glanced down at her wearily._

_“What is it, my dear?” Her entire body felt like it was burning. Even using her voice strained her to her limits. But she’d be damned before she ignored the needs of those around her. Never again._

_“Is everything gonna be okay? Will the scary men be coming back?”_

_Sothis laughed, reaching out and ruffling the child’s locks of seafoam green. “Do not worry, my child. I have ensured that the bad men will never return. You have my word.”_

_She knelt down next to the girl, nodding to her drawing._

_“What are you working so earnestly on?”_

_Beaming at her, the child thumped her chest. “It’s my daddy’s crest! I hope to be just like him when I grow up.”_

_Sothis smiled. “It is a lovely crest. I am confident that you will grow up big and strong, just like your father.”_

* * *

“Gah!” Sothis yelped, jerking awake. Her gaze was immediately met with a piercing blue ocean. Sothis stared for a minute, mesmerized, then realized what she was doing. She shot to her feet, glancing around, her vision hazy. They were still in the canyon, but the sun had long since gone down.

Byleth heaved a sigh of relief, leaning back on her palms and staring up at the night sky.

“Byleth? Why are we lying in a canyon in the middle of the night? This hardly seems like the safest location to take a nap.”

Sothis felt a flare of frustration intermingled with relief from her vessel. Inspecting her, Sothis realized with surprise that Byleth’s face was reflecting her feelings far more than usual.

“I felt a sharp pain. It only took me a moment to realize that it wasn’t my own,” Byleth remarked, frowning.

“When I reached you, you were already unconscious. I sent the students back with the Knights on the premise that I wanted to inspect the ruins.”

“How long have I been asleep?” Sothis asked, worried about the answer.

Byleth seemed to realize what she was really asking and shook her head. “Not that long, really. Only a few hours.”

“Ah.”

The two sat quietly, staring at the night sky as they tried to process everything. Stars dappled the purple and blue backdrop of the night, plentiful and distant. Sothis reached out a finger, idly tracing patterns between them. Byleth turned, clearing her throat.

“What is it?” Sothis asked idly, “I am trying to think.”

“You grew again.”

She shot to her feet, eyes widening. Her legs in particular had grown longer, granting her a few inches by themselves, to the point that she almost stood eye level with Byleth. More remarkably, however, was the fact that her clothes had altered without her knowledge. Her colorful tassels had been replaced with draping white cloth, and her dress no longer had the multitude of windows that it had previously sported. It was now a solid one piece with loose fitting fabric that reached down below her knees.

“You look even older than some of my students now.” Byleth commented idly, heaving a sigh as she settled into a more comfortable position on the canyon floor.

Sothis said nothing for a minute, admiring her changed appearance. Turning, she met Byleth’s eyes and cocked an eyebrow. “I find it interesting that I am more taken by the change in apparel than my physical growth.”

Byleth shrugged. “You were due for a wardrobe change. I bet your old robes reeked.”

Blushing, Sothis tried and failed to shove her playfully. “Byleth! That was an uncouth joke if ever I have heard one.”

“Sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

She laughed, resting her head against Byleth’s shoulder and twirling with her hair, which had grown shorter with her new appearance. “You have succeeded in that, at the very least, Byleth.”

With a nod of her head, Byleth stood up. She dusted herself off, then plucked her sword from the ground and slid it back into its sheath. Byleth turned and held out a hand. “Shall we head back? Edelgard promised to leave a horse tied up at the edge of the canyon for me.”

A cold wind blew past, carrying with it the scent of rain. Sothis longed to feel the natural occurrences of the world against her skin again. However, the contentment she felt by relishing the warmth of Byleth’s gaze was more than enough to compensate.

* * *

“I will never understand your fascination with the act of catching a fish with a thin string. The activity seems futile, not to mention superfluous.” Sothis was sitting at the edge of the docks, dangling her feet over the pier and kicking them back and forth. Her vessel was perched to her right, gaze intently focused on the water below. In Byleth’s hands was a gleaming fishing rod, newly gifted to her by one of her students.

“It makes it easier to think. Plus, it’s pretty fun.”

“I could not agree more, Professor!” A young voice chirped from behind. Byleth turned, raising an eyebrow as Flayn took a seat next to her, unknowingly in between her and Sothis. “Who were you talking to though?”

“The fish.”

Sothis whistled at Byleth’s stone cold lie. Sometimes having a permanent poker face had its uses.

“Oh! I do that too, sometimes,” Flayn remarked, taking off her boots and stretching her arms. “Brother tells me not to. He says it makes me seem mentally unhinged.”

“Seteth doesn’t always know best.”

“My thoughts exactly!” Flayn exclaimed, tossing her hands up in exasperation. “Just the other day I was attempting to make friends with some of the other students. Brother happened to overhear, and confronted them privately in order to intimidate them. He succeeded, and so I continue to be without friendship. It is vexing!”

Sothis giggled as Flayn continued, standing up and floating to her left so Byleth could see them both.

“Seteth seems like quite the overbearing brother,” Sothis remarked, smiling playfully, “You are lucky that I am such a pleasure to be around, or you would be nearly as tortured as sweet Flayn.”

A flash of annoyance from Byleth granted Sothis the victory she was searching for. She laughed, tossing her hair back and turning her attention to Flayn again.

Flayn, who had been rambling about Seteth and fish the entire time, nodded towards the pond that Byleth had been fishing from. “Would you mind if I join you for fishing, Professor? I could use some relaxed company after a day of nagging from my brother.”

Byleth nodded, reaching to her side and snatching up her spare rod. Flayn accepted it graciously, hooking her own lead onto the line. “Thank you so much! I left my own rod behind in my room during my escape from brother, so I was worried I would have to rent one.”

She paused, shooting a sidelong glance at Byleth. “Please do not repeat any of this back to him. He annoys me at times, but I love him dearly and would be saddened to see him mope due to my harsh words.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“You have my thanks. I have rambled about brother for some time now, would you like to talk about something else?”

Sothis froze, darting over to be right in Byleth’s face. “This is our chance, Byleth. Flayn may not be as knowledgeable as Seteth or even Rhea herself, but she has still spent a lot of time in the monastery and is clearly versed in matters relating to the Church of Seiros. The Church is one of the oldest organizations in all of Fodlan. We need answers, and she may be able to provide.”

 _Agreed._ Byleth thought at Sothis, turning to Flayn and giving her a small smile. “Flayn, you’ve spent a lot of time in the monastery, and your brother is aide to the archbishop. I must admit that I am not familiar with the Church of Seiros. Would you be willing to tell me more about the church?”

Flayn blinked, startled. “Would it not be more beneficial to you to speak to my brother or the Archbishop?”

Shaking her head, Byleth pulled at her line, reeling it in to recast. “Both of them are too busy to answer my questions as of late, what with Lonato’s rebellion and all.’

Flayn stared at her for a moment, her eyes searching Byleth’s face. Once again, Sothis was thankful for whatever made Byleth unreadable.

“Fair enough! There’s so much to tell. Is there anything in particular you would like to know?”

Byleth hesitated, putting her chin in her left hand as she stared at the water. Rolling her eyes, Sothis leaned in and hissed, “Ask her about the canyon where I fainted, you fool.”

“That canyon that my class visited last moon; is there anything significant about it?”

“Why yes, there is! That is the canyon where Saint Seiros triumphed over the evil King Nemesis, an awful man who sought to destroy all that the goddess had built.”

She’d learned that much from speaking with her students. “What about the ruins in the canyon?”

Flayn stiffened next to her. Before Byleth could say anything, though, her line started jerking and she broke from her trance.

“Oh, dear!” Flayn exclaimed, straining with her pole, discomfort forgotten. After a short struggle, she reeled in a beautiful rainbow trout. She beamed with pride at her catch for a while, then tossed it back in the water.

Turning back to Byleth, Flayn’s face had settled into a serene smile, previous anxiousness forgotten. “I am afraid I do not have the answer, Professor. Those ruins are ancient and unknown, even to the Church.”

Sothis frowned. This line of questioning was clearly ineffective, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Flayn knew something. 

“Oh!” Sothis exclaimed, snapping her fingers. “Byleth, I am going to try something. Please tell me if it works.”

Byleth’s confusion sang through their bond as Sothis closed her eyes, concentrating on the symbol from her dream. Straining, she willed the image to the forefront of her mind, then reached out to her vessel’s consciousness.

Fortunately, Byleth didn’t need to inform her aloud that it worked. Her surprise was confirmation enough.

“I saw a symbol carved into the ruins that seemed familiar, do you think if I sketched it you could tell me about it?”

“I will try my best, Professor. It is only fair.”

Byleth turned to her side and pulled a rolled parchment and quill from her rucksack, sketching the symbol in her head to the best of her ability. She held it out for Flayn to see.

“Oh! That is quite an ancient crest. I recall seeing it in one of Hanneman’s books about lost crests. It is known as the Crest of Chevalier. You say you saw this carved into the ruins in the Red Canyon?”

Byleth nodded. Flayn seemed contemplative, thinking through her words carefully. “This is an interesting find! Not quite as captivating as the discovery of a new breed of fish, but still important. You should speak with Professor Hanneman about this.”

The two spent the next hour or so fishing together, idly chatting about the Church and Byleth’s various curiosities. After awhile, Flayn stood and politely excused herself.

“I must be returning, or brother will begin to worry. Thank you for letting me accompany you, Professor.”

As Flayn walked away, Sothis took her place, scooching closer to Byleth to rest against her shoulder. “Flayn is a really lovely girl. She was clearly raised well.”

“Mhm.”

Sothis cocked her head to the side. “Is that really all you have to say? She deserves better, you know.”

Byleth said nothing, her gaze even more intensely focused than before. Frowning, Sothis waved a hand in front of her vessel’s face. “Hello? Byleth, are you still with me?”

A sharp pang of embarrassment nearly bowled Sothis over with how intensely Byleth was feeling it. She was positively radiant with it, despite her face maintaining its normal serene disposition.

 _Why is she so embarrassed?_ Sothis thought, frowning. An idea struck her, and she cackled with delight. Before Byleth could react, Sothis shifted over to sit in Byleth’s lap, obstructing her view of the water.

Byleth’s already raging embarrassment tripled in depth and Sothis burst out laughing. “Okay, Byleth, I admit that I am confused, despite my amusement. I have identified that I am the source of your discomfort, but for the life of me I cannot discern why that is the case.”

Her vessel shifted uncomfortably underneath her, clearly at a loss for words. When she finally spoke up, there was an uncharacteristic tremble to her voice. “I… I am just… getting used to your new form is all.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well, when we first met, you were just a little girl in appearance. Sure, your personality didn’t match your apparent age or appearance, but it was hard to think of you as anything other than a child.”

“As I have told you over and over, Byleth, I am no child. I am not quite sure WHAT I am, but that at the very least I can assure you of.”

“Apparently so.”

“That still does not answer my question. Why, Byleth Eisner, are you so embarrassed right now?”

Byleth coughed to clear her throat, turning her head. Sothis’ eyes widened. She was actually _blushing._ Clear as day, Byleth’s cheeks had turned as crimson as the colors of the house she had chosen to teach. Sothis quickly pushed out of her lap, turning her back on Byleth and facing away.

“I-I see. Well, in that case, I will refrain from getting too close, if that is what you desire.”

Byleth heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Sothis.”

“Think nothing of it.” Sothis replied. Fortunately for her, she had turned her back to the only person who could see her. Otherwise, Byleth would have noticed the equally pink shade that Sothis’ cheeks had adopted.

* * *

“I am telling you, brother, she was asking about the ruins and everything.” Flayn explained, gesticulating wildly. The two siblings were standing in Rhea’s office, tucked into a corner out of sight to avoid suspicion. Seteth frowned, tilting his head and cupping his chin with a free hand.

“If you are correct, this is most distressing. We must inform Lady Rhea of this at once.”

Flayn nodded, worry sparkling in her gaze as she wrung her hands. “The Professor is far too impressive to be kept at bay with my lying, anyways.”

“However, before we do that,” Seteth continued, giving Flayn a sidelong glance, “I find it necessary to give you another lecture on who you spend your time with, since you clearly have not learned your lesson.”

“Brother, please! Anything but that.”

Seteth shook his head sadly, hiding a slight smirk behind his hand. “I am afraid you have left me no choice, sister.”

* * *

Sothis yawned, trying her best not to fall asleep. It was now the Blue Sea Moon, and Lonato’s rebellion had been thwarted. The Monastery was awash with panic in an attempt to protect Rhea from the assassination threat, yet here they were reading _books_ . Hovering by a large, overburdened bookshelf, Sothis read the titles on each of the spines, finding little of note. Meanwhile, Byleth was sitting in a chair nearby, nose buried in an ancient tome with the title _‘The Church of Seiros - A History’_.

“You mortals sure do love to write.” Sothis muttered to herself. Turning back to Byleth, she made a show of placing her hands on her hips and tossing her chin back to show her authority.

“What do you think we will learn by spending almost an entire week reading in the library when Flayn was not willing to reveal the necessary information? It is most assuredly not public knowledge.”

Byleth shrugged, leafing the next page delicately with a finger as she continued reading. “Hopefully something useful. And, frankly, I should know this history offhand anyways, seeing as I am a teacher at Garreg Mach.”

“I suppose you have a point. Alas, if only I still possessed my tendency for sleeping days at a time. I could have avoided this monotonous wait.”

Frowning, Byleth glanced at her. “That would have made me sad. I enjoy your company. It helps.”

“O-oh.” Sothis blustered, smoothing her hair back and trying to laugh off her embarrassment. “That is fair. It would be terribly rude of me to deprive you of my company.”

Byleth smiled and nodded, turning back to the tome. “Interesting. According to this, the Church of Seiros instigated on the Kingdom’s behalf at the end of the War of the Eagle and Lion in order to mitigate peace.”

Sothis pondered that, flitting across the room to read over Byleth’s shoulder. “You are right. This may explain why Edelgard speaks as if conflict is inevitable. The Empire has a serious grudge against both the Church and the Kingdom.”

“So you noticed that too?”

“Yes. It is not just her words, as well. Edelgard’s every action seems to speak of caution, as if she were ready for battle at any moment.”

“To be fair, I am quite similar.”

Sothis shook her head. “No, it is different with you. You simply have no need to switch mental states depending on your situation, since you maintain a serene state nearly all the time. Edelgard is clearly forcing herself to remain on edge. I suppose it makes sense, what with the nightmares and how she attained her second crest.”

Byleth frowned. “You were awake for that conversation? I had hoped to give Edelgard privacy when confessing something so personal.”

“Unfortunately, I cannot simply fall asleep on a whim. Besides, I am certain you would have told me sooner or later.”

Her vessel sighed. “That is true, although I worry that I am taking advantage of the fact that others cannot see you.”

“What is so wrong with that? It is not like you chose for us to be bound together.”

Byleth was quiet for a moment. Then, she turned and looked Sothis dead in the eyes. “I may not have chosen this, but I know that I would do so if the moment arose.”

“Do what?”

“Chose for us to be bound together.”

Sothis blushed, spluttering slightly. “B-Byleth! Watch what you say. That very well sounded like a confession.

A look of realization swept across Byleth’s face as she realized exactly what she had just said. She coughed, turning back to the tome. “Right. Sorry.”

“So long as you understand.”

The two sat in silence for a time, Sothis walking through her memories in an attempt to learn something while Byleth read through the book. The sudden feeling of shock pulled Sothis out of her contemplation and she glanced at Byleth. “What is it?”

“... Sothis, are you sure you remembered your name properly?”

Sothis furrowed her brows, slightly offended by Byleth’s accusation. “Of course I am. It is foolishness to accuse me of lying, Byleth Eisner.”

Wordlessly, Byleth picked up the tome and held it for Sothis to read, her finger underlining a section in the book.

Reading it aloud, Sothis felt her heart beat slower with each word, as if an icy claw was squeezing tighter and tighter. “... And the goddess Sothis bestowed upon her children gifts in order to preserve the land she had created, and to protect the ones she loved so dearly.”

Sothis’ eyes rose slowly from the pages, meeting Byleth’s eyes nervously. According to this book, Sothis was the progenitor goddess incarnate. Despite this revelation, there was only one thing on Sothis’ mind.

_What if Byleth thinks differently of me?_

And yet, when her eyes met with Byleth’s deep ocean blue, all she saw was a faint glimmer of excitement. Taken aback, Sothis asked, “Why do you look so happy?”

Byleth smiled. _Actually_ smiled. “Because, Sothis, we just found a major piece of the puzzle. You know even more about yourself now. That must be a huge relief.”

Sothis thought for a moment, then realized that Byleth was right. What did it matter that she was a goddess? So long as Byleth continued to be her easy going self, who she was didn’t really matter to her.

“You are… correct. It is more of a relief to know that you are not put off by my newly deified status.”

Her vessel waved a hand dismissively. “You’re still you, Sothis. I could never be put off by you.”

* * *

Byleth hurried past a group of guards, both of them standing at attention upon spotting her. Security had been strengthened significantly during the Rite of Rebirth in order to protect Rhea after the discovery of the assassination plot last month. Byleth and her class had been tasked with protecting the monastery, but after discussing it with Edelgard, Byleth was certain their efforts were better spent elsewhere. She pulled open the doors to the Black Eagle classroom. Her students looked up at her, surprised. Edelgard took the initiative, stepping forward.

“Professor. The festival is about to begin. Are you confident in our plan?”

Nodding, Byleth clutched the hilt of her sword. “The note was too obvious. They’re after something else. The Mausoleum seems like the only natural choice.”

Edelgard nodded. “I agree. We should hurry to guard the stairs to the Mausoleum, in order to catch them as they enter.”

Sothis frowned. The confidence Edelgard seemed to have in her knowledge of the enemy’s plans could have simply been chalked up to her natural intellect and experience, but Sothis felt that there was more to it. However, with Byleth about to engage in combat with unknown opponents, she felt it prudent not to distract her with vague theories. She tabled it, making a mental note to follow up with Byleth on her suspicions later.

Hubert smirked. “The Professor’s feelings on the plan are irrelevant. All that matters is that we are correct in our estimations.”

Byleth glanced at him, and Sothis felt a pulse of amusement surge through the bond. The subtle attempts Hubert made at questioning Byleth’s authority would usually be found as frustrating, but Byleth seemed to enjoy his attitude, as one would enjoy a cat being grumpy.

“Lets go, everyone. Be ready for anything.” Byleth walked out of the classroom, with Edelgard and Hubert hot on her heels. Sothis watched in amusement as Edelgard put in effort to match her stride with Byleth’s. Her amusement died when she noticed the adoring look Edelgard was giving her when she knew no one else was looking.

 _I am going to ensure that Byleth does not pull her punches in their next sparring session,_ Sothis thought cooly. _We would not want the princess getting an inflated ego, after all._

Byleth’s class was quick to follow, streaming in behind her as she strode side by side with Edelgard to the tomb entrance. The normally sealed door was ajar, with no guards in sight. Byleth cursed under her breath, forcing her way past the door and drawing her sword. Sothis moved up beside her, looking grim.

“Your hunch was correct, but the enemy has arrived earlier than expected.”

Byleth nodded, her gaze hardening as she gestured for the students to ready themselves for battle. Sothis floated past to investigate, returning a moment later with her eyes ablaze. “What kind of ingrate raids a tomb without just cause?”

 _How many are there, Sothis?_ Byleth thought.

“About fifteen men and women dressed in black robes to hide their identities. All of them look well trained. This should prove difficult, even for you.”

“Edelgard, inform the class that we’ll be facing a medium sized group of well trained individuals. They have a mixture of front line and casters with no archers.”

Edelgard stared at her quizzically but didn’t question her command, conveying her orders diligently. The other students shot each other glances but understood the importance of stealth and kept quiet.

Byleth readied her sword, then charged around the corner. Two men were standing guard by the entrance. They turned with surprise as Byleth came sprinting up, but were too slow to draw their weapons. With a quick strike, both of them were taken by the stomach. The other enemies in the room yelped in surprise, drawing swords and spears and moving into formation.

“Keep them distracted!” Cried a shrill voice from the other end of the mausoleum. A man in mage robes and a plague mask worked with a magically sealed casket on an elevated dias. A few more men in robes charged past him, taking positions behind the enemy flank.

“Bernadetta, give me some covering fire into the group of mages at ten ‘oclock. Dorothea, Hubert, the right flank. Edelgard, Petra, Ferdinand; you’re in the front with me. Caspar, cover Linhardt while he provides support.”

With orders issued, Byleth dashed to a nearby pillar just in time to avoid a column of miasma. One of Bernadetta’s arrows came whizzing past her face, embedding in the shoulder of the caster. Explosions to her right confirmed that Dorothea and Hubert were doing their jobs well.

Rolling out from behind the pillar, she tossed two daggers into the guts of the enemy frontline. Petra and Edelgard circled from behind her, taking the wounded swordsmen down with efficient strikes.

A deep throated, metallic laugh boomed across the field. Standing in the very center of the melee was a terrifying creature in full plate mail, seemingly appearing from nothing. It wielded a wicked scythe and road atop a strange horse. Byleth locked eyes with it, holding her sword low as she approached it cautiously.

The death knight chuckled, giving his scythe a practice swing. “Come, then. We are destined to fight, after all. One of us shall live, while the other will die.”

Byleth narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her opponent carefully. Her students were fighting on his flanks, yet he seemed indifferent to the plight of his allies. She sidestepped, eyes locked on the hulking man. He simply watched from atop his steed, unmoving save for his glowing red eyes that followed her.

With a blast of thoron, Dorothea and Hubert broke through the flank of the enemy. Ferdinand charged ahead with Petra and Edelgard hot on his heels, pushing past the stairs as Bernadetta finished off the stragglers. Byleth frowned, taking a single step up the stairs. The Death Knight did nothing.

“What on Fodlan is this man doing?” Sothis asked, annoyance in her voice. “He is just standing there! Why even show up if you are not going to fight, fool?”

To emphasize her point, Sothis stuck her tongue out at him. Byleth smiled slightly, then pressed on, trying her best to settle her stomach. She gestured for Hubert, whispering, “Keep an eye on that man in the armor. He seems content with observing instead of actually fighting. If he makes a move, let me know and keep him suppressed with magic. I’m going to finish off that head mage.”

Hubert nodded, moving to a vantage point behind the Death Knight. His fingers crackled with energy as he glared a challenge at the armored warrior.

“You’re too late, fools. I’ve done it!” The robed mage cried, yanking open the lid. Silence filled the air as he stared into the open casket with disbelief.

“What is this? A sword?” He sounded confused, reaching down and pulling out a strange blade from the coffin. It seemed to be carved into segments, with a sizable hole in the center of the hilt. Not wanting to wait and see what it could do, Byleth tossed a knife at the mage. He panicked, barely deflecting the thrown blade with the sword. Byleth ducked under a blast of fire, coming up swinging. She disarmed him, knocking the blade from his hand. It clattered to the floor next to her feet.

The man let out a desperate cry, drawing a knife from his robes and charging Byleth. She frowned, sidestepping his wild strike and slicing him in the back. He fell limp, dagger clattering to the ground. Byleth strode over to the weapon, bending over to take it by the hilt.

As her hands touched the material of the blade, Sothis screamed.

Whirling, Byleth slid the sword into her belt and sprinted over to Sothis. She had collapsed at the far end of the dias, her hands clutching at her head. The students had finished dispatching the rest of the robed combatants, staring in surprise at their teacher as she ran past them.

Edelgard stepped forward, wiping sweat from her brow and leaning against her axe for support. “Professor? Is everything alright?”

Byleth ignored her, stooping down and reaching for Sothis. She stopped, partially because of the students that were watching, but also because she knew her hands would simply pass through her. Cursing the circumstances that prevented her from helping directly, she reached out to Sothis in her mind.

_What happened, Sothis? Please, speak to me._

Slowly, Sothis rolled over to face Byleth. Her eyes were shut tight, tears streaming down her face, evaporating as soon as they touched the ground. She squirmed, letting out a cry of pain.

“Edelgard,” Byleth ordered, turning back to her confused class, “please go inform the Archbishop what happened here. I need to stay behind.”

The house leader observed her curiously, clearly wanting to question her motives, but she simply nodded and began herding the students out of the Mausoleum. Once the last of her class had left, Byleth turned back to the problem at hand.

 _Sothis! Tell me what’s wrong!_ Byleth shouted into her mind, hoping it would have the same effect.

Groaning, Sothis pulled herself to a sitting position. Her brow was furrowed and she was clearly in a lot of pain, but she made a brave face. “S-sorry, Byleth. It looks like I got a bit carried away there.”

Her eyes glanced at the blade Byleth had acquired and she gasped. Tentatively, she reached her hand out to touch the hilt. To Byleth’s shock, her fingers actually made contact. She pulled the sword from the makeshift sheath and held it against her, eyes full of wonder.

“I… I remember, Byleth.”

“What do you remember, Sothis?”

She lifted her gaze from the blade, meeting Byleth’s concerned look. Her emerald eyes shone with a mixture of emotions beyond Byleth’s limited understanding.

“Everything.”


	2. Hectic Moons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sothis has been restored to her original form. As time passes, she learns new ways to interact with the world.
> 
> Byleth and Rhea have a long needed talk.
> 
> Sothis remembers how difficult it is to be an adult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW! Heck finals. They sap away your life force. I've had this chapter MOSTLY written since before I even released the FIRST, but it just kept getting longer and longer and-
> 
> You get the idea. I decided to cut the second chapter into three. The third one is being written now and is fairly intense in the sadness department. A warning for all you lovelies that are reading my works for the first time, my writing tends to get sad before it gets happy. Like REALLY sad.
> 
> The response has been phenomenal honestly! Thank you everyone who has commented and liked my fic! Your feedback sustains me <3
> 
> I apologize to all my Edeleth fans for the teasing in this chapter. Even if Byleth isn't romantically interested in her, I still think they make really good friends. Their personalities compliment one another well. Plz do not cry TOO hard for Edelgard in this fic :V
> 
> Thanks again to Abby, Remi, and Nexidava for beta-ing this chapter.
> 
> Anyways, I hope you enjoy!

_ “ _ _ Mother, please do not leave me behind!” Seiros cried out. She was fully grown now, although her eyes still shone with the innocence of her sheltered upbringing. Sothis sighed. That was partly her fault, since she had kept her youngest daughter close at hand due to the war with the Agarthans. _

_ “My child, I am simply going to rest for a few decades. Restoring the lands has severely drained me, and I will be spent if I do not sleep to recover.” _

_ “Then why can I not remain by your side until you awaken?” Seiros looked pouty, her lips curling in displeasure. _

_ Sothis patted her daughter on the head, smiling reassuringly. “Daughter, you are not attached to my hip, as much as you were led to believe. My deepest wish is that you live a fulfilling life free from the constraints of being my child.” _

_ “But, mother, being your daughter is the most important thing in the world to me. Why would I give that up?” _

_ “I am not asking you to give that up, daughter. What concerns me is that you will fail to become your own person by revolving everything around me. That is why I am sending you to be with Cichol. His patient attitude should help temper your more impulsive urges.” _

_ Rhea hesitated. “Your… your words hold truth, mother. But what if something happens to you while I am gone?” _

_ “Come now, daughter, what could possibly happen that I could not handle?” _

* * *

Sothis groaned, rubbing her eyes and sitting up from the bed. Regretfully, she could not utilize the comfort of a mattress in her current state. Sleeping midair was putting strain on her back. She stretched her hands out as far as they could reach until she felt a satisfying pop. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, Sothis glanced around the room. Her gaze locked with her vessel’s, who was looking over her concernedly.

“Sothis.” Byleth said flatly.

“Yes, Byleth?”

“I take back what I said two moons ago. This is a little off putting.”

“Hm?” Sothis questioned groggily, following Byleth’s gaze. Her eyes settled on what she was talking about, and her breath stilled. “That... is a fair feeling to have here. I am also a little surprised.”

“You’re just so… big.”

“While I would appreciate a better choice of words, that is certainly one way to describe this.”

Sothis stood up, moving to the center of the room. However, she was now taking up a far more sizable amount of space than days prior. She had been almost at level with Byleth just the night before. Now she towered over her, so much so that she didn’t have room to float. Her curly, tangled hair now came to waist length, her locks now straightened and smooth. The casual one-piece she wore previously had been replaced with a long and flowing gown, the thin cloth draping gracefully around her figure. A white sash that wrapped around her neck fluttered as she twisted and turned. She did a little pirouette in place, her skirt end flaring out.

“What do you think, Byleth? This is how I looked when I was alive during my last years in Fodlan.”

“Alive?” Byleth echoed, brow furrowing.

Sothis grimaced. “I have a good idea as to why we became entangled, Byleth, and part of that had to involve me dying. My memories are still not fully transparent, but I have vague images in my head of what transpired following my death. Most likely, this is due to my crest stone being present after I expired.”

Byleth sat down on the bed, fists tense and eyes alight with anger. Noticing her vessel’s emotions, she rested a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. “While I appreciate your anger, Byleth, rest assured that the people who did this to me are long gone. Probably.”

Heaving a sigh, Byleth nodded and relaxed her grip. 

Sothis continued, taking a few pauses here and there to admire herself in the mirror. “As I was saying, my Crest Stone is my heart, in a way. With it present even after my death, I retained memories of scenes I was not physically there for. If my hunch is correct…”

She turned, floating over to Byleth and hovering a finger over her vessel’s left breast. “The reason your heart does not beat and the circumstances that bound us together are one and the same. Somehow, you possess my crest stone within you. I can confidently say that your crest is the Crest of Flames. It was my own Crest, back in the day.”

Byleth nodded along. However, as soon as Sothis held a finger against her breast, she started to fidget. Once Sothis was done speaking, Byleth quickly stood up and strode over to her desk. She snatched the parchment that had the sketch she had made for Flayn and held it up for Sothis to see. “Do you recognize this crest now?”

Suppressing a chuckle at Byleth’s less-than-subtle attempt to change the topic, she nodded. “Yes. That is the Crest of Chevalier, as Flayn described a few moons ago. It belonged to the Snow Dragon, a Nabatean that perished in the war with the Agarthans.”

Byleth blinked. “Snow dragon? Nabatean? Agarthans? Even I have my limits to what I can accept at face value, Sothis.”

“Ah. You are correct. Apologies, I have only just regained these memories, so my thoughts are jumbled. Of course you would not possess the knowledge that I do. I wonder, though, as to why information concerning the Nabateans has been lost to humanity. Their very existence seems to have been erased.”

Looking thoughtful for a moment, Sothis shook her head and continued. “I created the Nabateans from my blood. Humans know them as Dragons, but they are so much more than that. They were the first to settle this continent, along with a group of fledgling humans known as Agarthans. The Nabateans worked together to help the Agarthans prosper, providing knowledge and creating a golden era of sorts.”

Sothis’ gaze grew dark as she continued. “However, they grew too greedy. They began warring with one another in attempts to gain power. Eventually, they even turned against my children and I, believing themselves gods in their own right. The war that followed devastated much of Fodlan, but we eventually proved triumphant. I spent much of my time following the war restoring the lands to their previous state.

“However, doing so drained me of my strength. I had to retire to my tomb in Zanado in order to recover.” She winced as she recalled the specifics. “That is the last memory with complete clarity that I possess. I can only assume that I perished while I was sleeping.”

Byleth was visibly trembling, her previous attempt to calm herself shattering like glass. Sothis was surprised by such a visible display of emotion from the stoic woman.

“I believe,” Byleth said slowly, “that I am experiencing hatred for the very first time. It’s an interesting sensation.”

Sothis felt her heart melt at Byleth’s words. It felt selfish, but Sothis was happy that the first time Byleth experienced anger was for her sake. She smiled and shrugged.

“It was a sad fate, but I am thankful for it in a way.”

“How can you be thankful for something like that?”

“Because it allowed me to meet you, Byleth. I imagine that if I had not perished in that tomb, we would not be talking.”

She let out a haughty laugh and smirked. “Additionally, I got some much needed sleep. A thousand years more than I intended, but it was worth it.”

Byleth smiled, relaxing again and leaning against the headframe of her bed. “I bet Linhardt would be dying with jealousy.”

“Indeed! Ah, how it pains me so that I cannot communicate my wonderful experience to him in person.”

At that, Byleth went quiet. Sothis sensed a turmoil in her vessel, but before she could reach out to question her, there was a loud knock at the door.

The gatekeeper’s voice sounded through the solid oak. “Excuse me, Professor. Are you in there?”

“Yes. What is it?” Byleth replied.

“Lady Rhea requests your presence in her Chamber immediately.”

“Alright. Give me a few moments and I’ll be right with you.”

Byleth turned, snatching her pouch of coins from the table and pulling her boots back on. Sothis tried to ignore the way her stomach fluttered when Byleth pulled off her shirt to exchange it for a clean one.

With a nod at Sothis, Byleth reached down and plucked the Sword of the Creator from the ground, sliding it into its sheath at her belt. Fanning herself to disguise her blush, Sothis waved goodbye. A pulse of amusement told her that Byleth had noticed her embarrassment. She growled in irritation, then an idea struck her.

“Something that you should know before you go,” Sothis said, a playful smile on her face, “is that Rhea is my youngest daughter. Be careful what you tell her.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. “You must be joking.”

“I did not have her at my side for decades just to be accused of joking about raising her. You can rest assured that she is definitely my daughter.”

“But that must make her…”

“Yes, yes, she is very old. Now off with you! Do not keep her waiting. My daughter is immensely impatient, unlike yours truly. Good luck, Byleth. You will certainly need it.”

* * *

Byleth had never been comfortable around Rhea. She was immensely kind and gentle, but it always felt as if whenever Byleth spoke to her, Rhea was talking to someone else. This was especially the case as Byleth brought forward the Sword of the Creator.

“Professor, I cannot thank you enough for defeating those invaders in the Holy Mausoleum, and especially for protecting the Sword of the Creator. That sword is one of the heroes’ relics, and the most precious artifact in the church’s possession.”

Her eyes narrowed as she inspected Byleth. “It is also a weapon of terrifying power. For now… I will entrust the sword to you.”

Byleth frowned. Rhea was hiding something from her. If this were simply a hero's relic, it would not hold such a deep connection to Sothis. However, Byleth suspected that prying Rhea for any more information would be dangerous, so she simply nodded in gratitude.

Seteth looked flabbergasted. “Lady Rhea, wait! Do you truly mean to give the Sword of the Creator to this stranger?!”

Rhea turned to him, her serene mask locked firmly in place. Her ability to hide her emotions was impressive enough that even Byleth couldn’t help but admire it.

Seteth, however, was unphased. He shot a glare at Byleth as he continued, “Surely it is not the sort of thing one hands over so readily, even to someone who has the ability to wield it! If someone like Nemesis were to appear again, all of Fodlan would be consumed by war!”

“No.” Rhea stated firmly, eyes closed. “I have faith, Seteth. Faith that our Professor will not be so easily corrupted.”

Alarm bells went off in Byleth’s head. If there was ever a conclusive sign that Rhea was hiding something, this was it. Sothis’ words from earlier stuck in her mind. Rhea was Sothis’ daughter, so surely Byleth could trust her. Maybe a show of good faith would convince Rhea to be more open.

“Rhea?” Byleth asked hesitantly.

“Yes, child?”

“Can we have a moment alone to speak? I have something important I think I need to tell you.”

Rhea looked surprised. “I assure you, anything that you have to say to me can be spoken about in front of Seteth as well.”

“Even if it’s about your mother?”

The room stilled. Rhea looked as white as a sheet, and Seteth was glancing between them in disbelief.

“What is she talking about?” Seteth asked, frowning.

“Leave.” Rhea said quietly, not looking at him.

“Lady Rhea, I-”

“Leave!”

Seteth looked like he wanted to say more, but the look Rhea gave him was enough to quell his words. He nodded curtly, shot another glare at Byleth, then stormed out of the room, yanking the large doors closed behind him. Byleth could vaguely hear him shouting orders for the guards to stand by, but she was more concerned with the sheer amount of bloodlust Rhea was emitting.

“I will not tolerate jokes of this nature, Byleth Eisner. Explain what you mean this instant, or your punishment will be severe.”

Byleth nodded. She had expected this. “Give me a second.”

_ Sothis,  _ Byleth thought,  _ I told Rhea. Could you come here please? _

In moments, Sothis was by her side. She looked annoyed, glancing at Rhea and piecing things together.

“Why did you have to tell her so soon? I was still in the midst of enjoying my time off from parenting.”

“It just felt like the right thing to do.”

Rhea’s eyes narrowed, and Byleth felt the mood in the room sharpen. “Who are you talking to?”

Byleth blinked. “Your mother, Sothis.”

Sothis slapped her face with her palm, groaning. “Byleth, you have the subtlety of a rolling boulder. You cannot just tell someone that their long dead mother is your conversation partner.”

Rhea, meanwhile, had gone quiet. Rather than shocked, she looked… expectant. Hopeful, even.

“Tell me something only my mother would know about me. If you fail, I will have you executed for heresy against the church.”

Sothis rolled her eyes. “Wow, she has truly immersed herself in the role as Archbishop. Hmmmm…”

She contemplated for just a moment, then grinned. Gesturing for Byleth to come closer, she leaned in and whispered her memory to her.

“You know she can’t hear you, right?” Byleth commented, looking perplexed. “Why did you whisper to me?”

“Stop nitpicking, you fool!”

“Right. Anyways,” Byleth said, turning back to Rhea, the latter of whom was impatiently tapping her foot, “I owe you an example.

“Back when you were just a baby, you would teeth on Sothis’ colorful tassels that she used to wear in her hair. After a while, she had to swap them out for draping white cloth so you would not choke.”

Rhea gasped, taking a step back. Her eyes began to water and she fell to her knees. “It… it worked.”

“What worked?” Byleth asked, casting a glance at Sothis. She shrugged, as clueless as her vessel.

“Can you give me another example? I know this is a lot to ask, but I beg of you. It would mean a great deal to me.”

Byleth relented, turning to Sothis and repeating her words to Rhea in turn. When she was finished, Rhea was weeping heavily, her tears pooling slightly at her knees.

“Mother…” Rhea murmured, voice shaking as she rose to her feet.

Glancing at Sothis, Byleth was surprised to see the usually happy-go-lucky Sothis tearing up as well. Albeit a bit awkwardly due to her own restrained emotions, Byleth did her best to act as a conduit between the two for their discussion.

“Mother, words cannot describe how truly regretful I am for leaving your side. If I were there, you would not be in the state you are in now.” Rhea remarked, gaze downcast.

Sothis snorted. “If I recall correctly, daughter, you left under direct orders from me in order to spend more time with Cichol.”

“I should have ignored you! Oh, this is all my fault.”

“You have no idea if you could have stood up to Nemesis and his cohorts. Honestly, I am glad you did not ignore me. I noticed Cichol as I was passing through on my way here, so at the very least you had a steadfast ally for all these years.”

Rhea hesitated, scuffing her feet slightly. “He goes by Seteth now, mother. Additionally, he was unable to accompany me following the war against Nemesis until fairly recently.”

“Oh? Why did he change his name, when it was so lovely before? And his sister, Flayn…”

“Flayn is actually named Cethleann, and she is the daughter of Seteth. They hid their familial relationship to confuse anyone attempting to discern their identities.”

Byleth staggered slightly. It was hard not to be blown back by the weight of each revelation being casually mentioned as if they were discussing favorite animals during tea time. She had a million questions, but stayed silent so as to not interfere in the family reunion. 

Sothis smiled widely, chuckling. “So that boy finally started a family. After all the complaining he made when I urged him to find someone special, I had assumed he would remain solitary forever. Who is the mother, if you do not mind me asking?”

Rhea shook her head. “I never met her, and Seteth does not like to speak of her. She died during the War of Heroes, in the battle against Nemesis and his elites. Afterwards, he and Flayn vanished from the public eye, adopting new names and identities to avoid the fate that befell many of those in Zanado.”

Sothis looked remorseful, the horror and guilt plain for Byleth to see. “This time it is my turn to apologize, daughter. If I had been more careful, such a terrible fate would not have befallen you and your people.”

Appalled, Rhea shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for, mother. It was those disgusting savages, human filth who should never have been trusted.”

Byleth was stunned by the uncharacteristic vehemence Rhea was putting on display. But then, thinking back, Rhea had always been quick to condemn those who opposed her.

_ I suppose her being an immortal had something to do with it,  _ Byleth thought idly. Sothis shot her a sidelong glance before continuing.

“While catching up is nice, daughter, the mystery remains as to how I returned at all.”

Rhea paused, looking troubled. “I… yes, I was involved. However, I cannot disclose the full details to you just yet.”

“Why not, daughter?”

Rhea shook her head stubbornly. “Mother, may I ask that you trust me until we see the rest of this through?”

“This is surprising. You never asked me for anything when I was raising you, save that I allow you to remain by my side.”

Sothis hesitated, mulling it over. She glanced at Byleth, who nodded her acceptance. Seeing Rhea’s true self made her surprisingly easier to trust. There was no longer this eerie wall separating the two of them.

“Fine. I suppose I can allow you to keep your secrets. However, I insist that you do not treat Byleth any differently than you have before. As my vessel and close friend, her life is as important as my own, if not more so.”

Byleth blinked, unsure of how to take the claim that she might be more important than the goddess herself. She shrugged it off, deciding to trust in Sothis.

Rhea nodded, smiling at Byleth. “And you, my child, have done me an incredible favor by informing me of the presence of my mother. I owe you a debt that I can never truly pay. If there is ever anything you need of me, please do not hesitate to ask.”

“So what happens now?” Byleth asked, a little unsure of how to move forward after so many revelations had been dropped on her.

“Now, you may continue to do what you want. The other professors report frequently on your success with the Black Eagles. Your work is greatly appreciated here at the monastery, and I would like nothing more than for you to continue doing as you have been.”

Byleth nodded. She liked teaching. It made her feel like all the years she had spent fighting were worth more than just protecting herself and earning coin.

“And if I might ask one last thing of you, would you be willing to come to my quarters every now and then so that I may converse with my mother?”

Glancing at Sothis, who was shaking her head wildly, Byleth pulled a slight smile. “I think I could make that work.”

* * *

The next moon passed by fairly peacefully, save for the conflict with Sylvain’s brother. Byleth spent quite a bit of time with Rhea despite Seteth’s frequent complaints, acting as both a friend and bridge between her and Sothis. Despite having reached her original form, Sothis still slept quite frequently. She claimed it was to regain the rest of her strength, but Byleth was willing to bet that she just wanted to avoid Rhea.

Byleth had actually confronted her on it the other night. They had been going over battle plans presented by her students. She had laid out multiple assignments for Sothis to look over, since she couldn’t interact with them herself. Letting out a yawn, Byleth took the opportunity to observe Sothis while she was concentrating.

Sothis liked to seem imperious and above it all, but the way she bit her lip in concentration while diligently reviewing their student’s work told her differently. Suppressing a chuckle, Byleth pushed her chair back and went to pour herself a cup of tea.

Sparing her a glance, Sothis asked, “Is that the tea that my daughter recommended?”

“Yes. It’s quite good. She said it had a better flavor when cold, but I haven’t the faintest idea on how to brew cold tea.”

“It was a method I taught her as a child. She would frequently burn herself on the hot liquids I gave her, so I swapped out her teas for chilled ones.”

Sothis looked thoughtful, folding her arms and staring out the window. “I doubt you would have access to the technology required, however. I am sure she is using a far more primitive method.”

“Why not ask her yourself?”

“I… would prefer not to.”

Byleth frowned. “You have been separated for centuries, yet it seems like you do not want to talk to her half the time. Why is that?”

“Time has always felt different to me, so the duration apart had little bearing on my feelings. That being said, I am more concerned that she will become dependant on me once more.”

Sothis gestured out Byleth’s open door at the sprawling expanse of the monastery. “Look at all she has accomplished without me, Byleth. It would be a shame to have her devolve into desperately seeking my attention once again.”

“That’s true, but she’s still your daughter. I never got to know my mom, and I think it would be sad if you deprived Rhea after she worked so hard.”

Frowning, Sothis looked like she wanted to say more, but a hard knock at the open door caught their attention.  _ Again? _ Sothis thought irritably,  _ this is the third time this month!  _

“Excuse me, Professor, but Lady Rhea has requested your presence.”

“Did she say why?”

“No, ma’am. She just insisted that it was important.”

Sothis rolled her eyes. “No doubt she is scrounging for an excuse to see us again. Very well, Byleth, I will acquiesce. But this conversation is not over.”

The pair walked together in silence through the courtyard. A fierce autumn breeze blasted against Byleth, her coat fluttering wildly in the wind. Sothis snickered, reaching out to straighten a strand of loose hair in Byleth’s wild mane out of instinct. Her heart skipped a beat when she made contact. She snatched her hand away, staring at it in awe. Her eyes darted to Byleth, who seemed oblivious of the occurrence.

A pair of guards came running out of the monastery doors, with Seteth hot on their heels. “Do not stop until you find her! Search every nook and cranny, and question everyone.”

Byleth tilted her head. “Seteth? What’s the matter?”

The man turned to her, eyes wild and panicked. “Professor, have you seen Flayn? She has gone missing, and I cannot find her anywhere!”

“I haven’t. When did you last see her?”

“She was in her room, safely tucked in and asleep. I checked on her in the morning after my clerical duties, but she was nowhere to be found.”

Rhea cleared her throat to announce her presence, resting a hand on her advisor’s shoulder. “We will find her, Seteth.”

Byleth nodded. “Definitely. How can I help?”

Seteth frowned, shuddering slightly. “There have been terrible rumors. A man prowling the streets at night and attacking innocents. We have looked into it, but found nothing concrete.”

“We have ordered the knights to search the town,” Rhea said, looking conflicted, “but thus far they have been fruitless in their efforts. I would like to request that you and your class search the monastery, Professor.”

“Understood.”

Sothis floated up to Rhea, scrutinizing her carefully. “She is telling the truth, I can guarantee that much.”

Byleth blinked, confused.  _ What do you mean, Sothis? _

“I am saying that you currently do not need to be suspicious of her motives. She genuinely wishes for Flayn to return safely.”

_ Is there a reason to be suspicious of your own daughter? _

The goddess grimaced. “If it were that simple, I would not be so careful. There is still much that we do not know, even with my restored memories.”

Byleth said nothing, instead opting to give a polite nod to Rhea and take her leave. She did not know much about familial bonds; her mother died of illness early on, and her relationship with her father was anything but traditional. Was it normal to be so standoffish with your own children?

Sothis eyed her vessel. She couldn’t read Byleth’s thoughts. Not completely. But she had a pretty good grasp of what the ex-merc was thinking.

However, Sothis wasn’t ready to trust her daughter just yet. Not when a looming concern walked right next to her, ignorant of what had been done.  _ Oh, Byleth, what did she do to you? _

* * *

Byleth panted heavily, wiping blood from a large cut on her cheek. She wielded the Sword of the Creator with both hands, feet planted firmly on the ground as she stared down the Death Knight. The monstrous figure seemed indifferent to the many wounds he had sustained, his glowing red eyes looking down on her. Behind him, the unconscious body of Flayn was laid out on an altar. Leaning against it was another girl, one that Byleth did not recognize.

He rode towards her slowly, deflecting each strike that Byleth hurled at him. Sothis winced, giving Byleth an anxious glance. “Do not just stand there, Byleth. Move!”

Her breathing shallow, Byleth took a few steps backwards. The Black Eagles watched on with concern, following her prior orders to stay back. They were too weak to face down such an opponent.  _ Sorry, Sothis, but I can barely move my legs. I’ll have to take his life with my next strike. _

“And if you fail? I cannot turn back the hands of time any more than I already have. If you fall here, there will be no recovering. Please reconsider!”

Byleth grinned, using the last of her strength to whip her sword back. However, before she could swing the chain-like blade around, a commanding voice boomed from behind the Death Knight.

“Halt. You’re having a bit too much fun.”

Another armored figure stepped out from behind the hulking knight, his weapon extended to block the Death Knight’s advance. He wore a mask of white with red plating, hiding his identity.

The Death Knight glared at him, clearly unhappy with the intrusion. “You are getting in the way of my game.”

Chuckling, the newcomer shook his head. “You’ll have more opportunities to play soon. Your work here is done.”

Byleth and Sothis stared, mouths agape, as the Death Knight pulled back from his fighting stance.

“Understood.”

Before Byleth could react, he warped out of the room. The newcomer turned to face Byleth, sheathing his axe and folding his arms.

“We will cross paths again. I am the Flame Emperor… It is I who will reforge the world.”

Frowning, Byleth took a step forward, fatigue momentarily forgotten. “You will do no such thing. Return Flayn at once.”

The Flame Emperor met her stare. Without a word, he warped away, leaving Byleth with her hand outstretched and numerous budding questions.

Flayn stirred on the altar in front of her, groaning in pain. Byleth sheathed the Sword of the Creator and scooped up Flayn in her arms. She glanced at Ferdinand, who was standing behind her with his mouth open, eyes locked on the spot where the Flame Emperor once was.

“Ferdinand. Please grab the other girl. We need to get them treated as soon as possible.”

Seeming to snap out of his funk, he nodded and pulled the unconscious red head onto his shoulders.

Sothis shook her head in confusion. “Just what is going on here? Who is this other girl, and what was she doing with Flayn? Ugh, so many unanswered questions.”

Byleth shrugged.  _ For now, the best we can do is make sure that Flayn is okay. _

Nodding in agreement, Sothis hovered next to Byleth. She held a hand over Flayn’s head as if to rest it on her hair, eyes softening. Byleth observed her with interest. The tenderness that Sothis displayed here was different from how she treated Rhea as of late. Should Sothis not be the most gentle with her own daughter, rather than a relative stranger?

Sothis rolled her eyes, once again seeming to read her thoughts. “Such foolishness. Flayn is also of my flesh and blood, having descended from one of my children. She is young and innocent, akin to many of those who followed me in the days before Zanado. Such a life deserves protection, at the very least.”

* * *

“Professor… Please, allow me to express my eternal gratitude once more.” Seteth said, bowing deeply to her. She blinked, surprised at such a gesture of goodwill from the normally stern Seteth. He had asked to see her in his office following the rescue of Flayn, but she had not expected such heartfelt thanks from him.

He straightened, looking her in the eyes. “Flayn is safe and sound, and I have you to thank for that.”

Sothis snorted, rolling her eyes. “Honestly, even without my restored memories and my daughter explaining the situation, it is obvious that she is not his sister. He acts like a parent, well and truly.”

_ Did you act like this when you were taking care of Lady Rhea?  _ Byleth thought, nodding politely to Seteth.

“At first, yes. But Cethleann must be centuries old by now. He is taking this too far.”

_ I dunno, Flayn still acts pretty childish, despite her age. I was pretty convinced until Rhea told me otherwise. _

“However,” Seteth continued, looking distinctly uncomfortable, “I believe I have discerned the motive behind the enemy kidnapping her. The blood that flows through her veins is special. It is extremely rare… and extremely dangerous.”

“No doubt due to her being the only bearer of her Major Crest.” Sothis remarked, shaking her head.

Seteth turned his head, adopting a defeated look. “If enemies know the secrets of Flayn’s blood, our only option is to leave the monastery and go into hiding.”

“Brother, wait.” Flayn said firmly, walking in through the open doorway.

“Flayn?! What are you doing here? You should be resting.” Seteth said, frowning.

“Honestly, if it were not for your lack of experience in the area, you would have caught them in their act for sure. These two are not very cautious of the perceptive ones that surround them.”

Byleth flashed a feeling of confusion through the bond. Sothis smiled, reaching out to pat Byleth on the head. She stopped short, remembering the occurrence from earlier that day. “I will explain to you later. For now, I believe I am distracting you from an important discussion.”

“Well, Professor?” Flayn asked. Byleth started, glancing between the two. They were both looking at her expectantly, clearly awaiting a response.

Sothis sighed. “They want to know if you would allow ‘Flayn’ to join your class in order to protect her.”

“Of course.” Byleth said, nodding firmly. She had always liked Flayn, and would enjoy the opportunity to get closer to her.

“Oh, I am so very pleased to hear that!” Flayn exclaimed, looking ecstatic. Seteth glanced between them pensively, then sighed and pinched his brow.

“I see. I am afraid you have a point, Flayn. No one would be better suited to protecting you than the professor.”

Tutting slightly, Sothis gave Seteth a sympathetic look. “She has to leave the nest at some point, Cichol. Better it be now, when we are here to protect her.”

“Professor,” Seteth said, a hint of remorse in his voice, “Due to my position, I have closely scrutinized everything about you. After all that has happened, I must admit that you are indeed a trusted ally. Can I trust you with Flayn’s safety?”

Byleth gave him a smile. “Of course, Seteth. I will protect Flayn with my life. 

* * *

“For once you have a day to relax. And with no looming threat hanging over the month, you can actually dedicate it to yourself.” Sothis said, running a hand through her hair. She’d taken to playing with it a lot more as of late, thoroughly enjoying her restored form. After Byleth’s success in the Battle of the Eagle and the Lion, the monastery had enjoyed an altogether peaceful moon. Now, with the White Heron Cup fast approaching, students were running around like beheaded chickens, squawking and clamoring to gain their professor’s favor in order to compete.

Byleth leaned against a tree at the edge of the courtyard, observing a few of her students as they chatted. Edelgard shot her a glance, her smile widening as she gave her a nod. Waving back at her, Byleth turned to respond. Her words died on her tongue as she was met with a glare from Sothis.

“What?”

Sothis turned her head, huffing and folding her arms. “It is nothing.”

“Come on, Sothis, even I can tell something is bothering you.”

“How do you plan to spend this day?” Sothis asked, abruptly changing the subject. Byleth blinked, then held her hand to her chin as she adopted a thoughtful look.

“I suppose I could go fishing.”

Sothis groaned. “You always go fishing when you find time to yourself. Are you not interested in all that the world has to offer?”

“Like what?”

“There is so much to do in the valley surrounding Garreg Mach. Even with all of my sleeping, I have not missed the lovely sunsets or peaceful chirping of crickets in the evening. You could invite one of your students to go on a picnic, perhaps. Edelgard seems quite taken with you.”

Byleth tilted her head, confused. “Why would I go with Edelgard?”

“Must I spell it out for you, fool? You speak about her often, and she is clearly taken with you. Why not pursue that relationship and see where it leads?” Sothis cursed herself even as she spoke, but she couldn’t prevent the words that came tumbling from her mouth. She had never felt this way before, and it was overwhelming her.

“But I don’t want to go with Edelgard. I’d rather go with you.”

Sothis stopped. “What?”

“I’d rather go with you.” Byleth repeated, giving her a slight smile.

_ Oh. _

“I-I see. Of course! I could not possibly fault you for your choice in conversation partner. After all, I am quite a joy to talk to. There is no one better suited for the task.”

Byleth nodded. “Agreed. I wouldn’t prefer talking to anyone else.”

“I was joking!” Sothis shouted. Blushing, she covered her mouth and looked away. Byleth nodded, turning on her heels and walking towards the mess hall.

“Where are you going, Byleth?” Sothis asked, clearing her throat in an attempt to avoid stammering.

Casting her blue eyes back to meet hers, she gave a knowing smile. “To the mess hall to have the chefs prepare a picnic basket.”

“You do recall that I cannot eat, yes?”

“I do, but I had an idea for that.”

“Oh?”

“You can feel what I feel if I let you, right?”

Sothis narrowed her eyes. “Yes, I can. I can even feel your emotions sometimes without you intending to share them, if they are powerful enough.”

As Byleth passed a pair of students on her walk through the yard, she switched to projecting her thoughts.  _ Then what if I requested some of the foods you have been wanting to try, ate them, and projected the way it tastes and feels to eat them? We could share a meal that way. At the very least, it’s worth a try. _

“Byleth, that is an incredibly sweet and clever idea. How did you come up with something like this?”

Byleth scratched her head, looking sheepish.  _ I’ve been thinking of a way to repay you for all that you have done for me. Without you, I would not be as happy as I am now. _

_ Oh dear. _

Sothis’ face turned beet red, and this time she was too slow to hide it.

“H-h-how long did you spend thinking about this?”

_ Hmmm. About a moon or so?  _ Byleth thought. _ I consulted with Lady Rhea on it while you were napping. I wanted to try some of your favorite foods from before, but Lady Rhea said that there were no current era foods that could serve as a replacement. _

“S-stop. You are going to kill me.” Sothis stammered, clutching her chest. Her heart was racing far too quickly to be considered healthy. Byleth stared at her, concerned.

_ Was it something I said? _

“Oh! No, no, it was not that. You are simply too sweet for your own good.”

_ Ah. _ This time it was Byleth who blushed. She cleared her throat, calling one of the chefs over to order some food. Sothis, meanwhile, was still reeling from the conversation.

_ She has to know what she is saying, right?  _ Sothis asked herself, clutching her head and staring at the floor with wide eyes.  _ No, wait, this is Byleth. She could very well be thinking that this is a responsibility she has to fulfill. Still… _

Sothis’ gaze softened as she watched Byleth, clutching a hand against her chest. “I hope my own feelings do not influence you too much.” She murmured.

Byleth turned, raising an eyebrow and holding out the basket. A variety of high class dishes were safely packaged within the wicker box, several of them emitting wispy puffs of steam.

Trying to disguise her excitement, Sothis simply nodded and turned her head. “This all looks adequate. Let us hope that your idea works.”

_ Here’s hoping.  _ Byleth thought. She walked out of the mess hall, nodding to the guards at the entrance as she strolled out the front gate.

“Where are you going? You should try some food first, to ensure that your theory is sound.”

Byleth shook her head, chuckling slightly. “Even if it doesn’t work, I’m happy to have a day all to ourselves.”

Stunned into silence again, Sothis followed Byleth as she trekked up the hill. At the top stood a lone tree, thick leaves creating a comfortable canopy underneath. Byleth shaded her eyes from the glare of the sun, spotting a smooth patch of dirt within the shade of the branches

She set down the basket, pulling out a gorgeous handwoven cloth. Sothis admired the stitch work, particularly the large Black Eagle adorning the center. “A gift from one of your students, I presume?”

Byleth nodded. “From Bernadetta. She wanted to repay us for helping her overcome her fear of attending class. I mentioned wanting a blanket for picnics, and she was quick to leap to the task. She is quite talented.”

“Wait,” Sothis said, processing what she just said, “I thought a picnic was my idea. How did you prepare all of this ahead of time?”

Giving her a coy grin, Byleth pulled out a roast beef sandwich, admiring the handiwork of the chefs. “You’re not the only one who can read people. I’ve noticed you staring longingly into the wilderness during our long voyages. I bet you spent a lot of time outside back in the early days, huh?”

Sothis nodded, at a loss for words. Byleth continued, dipping the sandwich in a fragrant sauce. “I was trying to think of how I could let you appreciate it, and for a while I struggled to come up with something. News got around with my students that I was looking for ideas, and Edelgard suggested a picnic.”

_ No doubt she was thinking that she would be the one attending,  _ Sothis thought irritably.

Byleth held up the sandwich to her mouth, then paused and glanced at Sothis. She gave a slight smile and asked, “Are you ready?”

Sothis smirked. “As ready as I am to be disappointed. Give it your best shot.”

Nodding, Byleth took a large bite from the sandwich. Instantly, Sothis’ mouth was awash with the rich taste of well seasoned beef. Swooning slightly, she slipped onto her backside across from Byleth, holding a hand to her head. Byleth watched her carefully, chewing slowly in order to savor the taste for the both of them.

“Byleth…” Sothis choked out. There were tears in her eyes, overwhelmed by a sensation she thought she would never feel again.

Swallowing, Byleth reached for a small glass canister, unscrewing the stopper and downing a sparkling fruity liquid. The savory flavors in her mouth were washed away by the tang of raspberry, and her eyes twinkled as she enjoyed the feeling of the liquid popping and bubbling.

“What is that strange beverage?” Sothis asked, eyes full of wonder.

“Sparkling Raspberry Cider. I figured you might enjoy that. You always struck me as having a sweet tooth.”

“Are you sure you are not just saying that because I looked like a child for so long?”

“Who knows.”

Sothis snorted, wishing she could push Byleth over. “You are a terrible liar, Byleth.”

“Not like I can lie to you anyways.”

“I suppose that is true.”

The two sat together, watching as the sun made its slow trek across the horizon. Having long since passed the zenith, the bright ball of light cast a long shadow behind the tree on the hilltop. Byleth breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of fresh grass and the forest air. Sothis’ eyes widened when she realized that Byleth was sharing this with her as well.

“How did you get so good at this, Byleth? It should be your first time sharing your feelings and senses to such an extent.

“You’re always spoiling me, Sothis. I can’t think of anyone who has helped me more than you. Let me spoil you just this once.”

Sothis growled. “I am not a child, Byleth Eisner. Not even my appearance supports that argument anymore.”

“I know.” Byleth replied, glancing at her. Her face had a slight pink tinge to it, but Sothis didn’t feel any embarrassment through the bond.

_ Byleth, why is it that when I want to know your thoughts most, they continue to evade me?  _ Sothis wondered, staring at her vessel intently.

She sighed, plopping onto her back and staring up at the tree.

_ Oh well. I suppose there will be plenty of time to decipher her feelings. _

* * *

“You want me to participate in the cup, Professor?” Edelgard asked, looking astonished. Byleth nodded, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Yes. While Dorothea may be more experienced in dancing, I hope to give my students the opportunity to experience new things while at the Academy. Your grace on the battlefield could be refined even more by learning to dance.”

_ Not to mention,  _ Byleth thought,  _ we could all use a distraction after the horrible scene in Remire. _ Her mouth tasted foul just thinking of the events that had transpired. Villagers she’d once known and got along with, turning on each other like rabid animals. She shuddered, pushing the thought from her mind and returning her focus to her nervous house leader.

“Oh.” Edelgard replied, looking bashful. “Would you be willing to guide me then, Professor? I do not have much experience in the art of dance.”

Wordlessly, Byleth extended her hands, giving her a nod and adopting the posture of the lead dancer. Edelgard quickly intertwined her fingers with hers, staring at Byleth attentively as she walked her through the motions. After a few hours, she was reliably dancing on her own, her graceful movements reflective of her hard work.

“See? I knew you’d do well.”

“Thank you for believing in me, Professor.”

Sothis rolled her eyes, trying her best to not get frustrated. She could feel Byleth’s emotions and was confident that there were no ulterior motives behind her actions. She was simply trying to be the best teacher she could be. What was less reassuring were the constant glances Edelgard kept shooting at Byleth, followed by nervously searching for anything else to look at when Byleth turned around.

Byleth smiled as Edelgard excused herself. When the house leader was gone, she turned to Sothis and cocked an eyebrow. “Any reason in particular you were staring daggers at Edelgard the entire lesson?”

Sothis choked, coughing violently and doubling over. She met Byleth’s gaze and made a weak protest. “I was not glaring at Edelgard!”

“Right.” Byleth said flatly, smirking at Sothis.

“Goddess, you are insufferable sometimes.”

“... Did you just take your own name in vain?”

“BYLETH!”

Trembling slightly, Byleth suppressed the urge to laugh, settling for a wink at a red faced Sothis.

* * *

As soon as the opportunity presented itself, Byleth slipped away from the throng of students and out the back door. The cool night air was refreshing after all of the dancing she’d had to do. She breathed in deeply, savoring the chill of the winter season against her skin. Even with her steadily improving feelings after coming to Garreg Mach, she still had an appreciation for the extremes. In her early days, things like extreme heat or cold were some of the only things she could feel. 

Her eyes settled on a nearby spiral staircase that she didn’t recognize. The sound of a few students approaching the door made her decision for her, and she bolted up the flight of steps. Tracing her hand along the worn stone, she noticed that the material of this tower was far older than the rest of the monastery.

The stairs opened up into a spacious room, devoid of any furnishings. Windows were placed at the four cardinal directions, overlooking the valley surrounding the monastery. She leaned against one of the windowsills, absentmindedly gazing out into the night. Sothis, strangely enough, had insisted on not accompanying her tonight. Byleth was sad about that, but she planned to invite her to dance when the two were alone.

After what felt like hours, Byleth heard the sound of someone clearing their throat behind her. She turned, raising an eyebrow when her eyes met with the lilac irises of Edelgard.

“Ah, here you are.” Edelgard said. She glanced around, her brow furrowing. “Are you waiting for someone?”

Byleth frowned, confused. Sothis was asleep in their bedroom, and she had left the ball to avoid the clamour.

_ Hm. I suppose Edelgard is the best company I could ask for, seeing as how Sothis isn’t here. _

“For you, I suppose.”

“For me?” Edelgard sounded surprised, adopting a less guarded posture than usual. “Well, you should have summoned me earlier. Regardless, here I am.”

Byleth frowned. “Did something happen?”

“No, nothing in particular.” Edelgard replied, walking over to stand next to her and stare out the window. “In fact, that’s why I came here.

“This place… the Goddess Tower, it was special to my parents.”

Raising an eyebrow at the mention of the goddess, Byleth listened intently as Edelgard continued.

“My father attended the Officers Academy himself. A few years after graduating, he was crowned emperor. One day, during a visit to the monastery, he snuck into the Goddess Tower on a nostalgic whim. And there she was, my mother. She had just enrolled in the academy that very year.”

Edelgard looked wistful, a surprising characteristic for the often serious house leader. “They were instantly drawn to each other. Love at first sight, you could say. It was the first time either had been in love… or so the story goes.”

Tipping her head, Byleth asked, “Their first love? What do you mean?”

“Yes. Of course, as emperor, my father had already married for political reasons. As the Empire demands many heirs, he also had numerous lovers.”

Byleth tried to imagine it. Spending her life with someone felt so completely foreign to her. Except Sothis, obviously. Even living with Jeralt, she’d always known she would have to walk her own path.

“In the end, my mother became one of his many consorts. But I choose to believe there was genuine love between them.” Edelgard said, finishing her story with a bright smile. “Heh, I suppose it’s a silly story to cling to.”

Byleth hummed, mulling over her story. 

_ Maybe Edelgard can help me learn what love is,  _ Byleth thought, tapping her foot on the tiles.  _ She seems so knowledgeable, and she was quite helpful in my lessons early on. _

“Who was your first true love?” Byleth asked. Edelgard glanced at her in surprise, then sighed in resignation.

“Hmm. For some reason, I feel compelled to tell you all of these things I kept hidden. I can’t say the name, but it was a noble who I met in the Kingdom, a lifetime ago. Anyway… what about you? It’s your turn to reveal some long-held secret! You could share a story about your past… or perhaps tell me about your first love.”

Freezing, Byleth’s mind raced for an answer. She didn’t enjoy lying, but telling Edelgard that she had no stories would obviously disappoint her. A thought came to her mind. She tentatively reached out to see if Sothis was listening in. No response came. Satisfied, she gave Edelgard a smile and started pacing.

“As you have probably noticed, I’m not the most emotive person. I have felt little in the way of love or affection for another.”

Edelgard’s face fell for a split second, but she recovered so quickly that Byleth wasn’t sure if she imagined it or not.

“Is that so.” Edelgard replied. Her reassuring smile helped Byleth push through the last of her doubts.

“However,” Byleth said, coming to a stop in the center of the room. “Someone does come to mind.” She stared up at the ceiling and her eyes widened. A decaying mural depicting a scene from the War of Heroes sat above her head. However, even as distorted as it was, Byleth recognized Sothis’ face among the cracks in the pastels. She chuckled, shaking her head. Fate had funny ways of guiding people.

She leveled her gaze, meeting Edelgard’s expectant eyes with a grin. “I wouldn’t call it love. I’m not sure I could tell what that felt like even if I did experience it. She’s just someone I’ll probably be with for the rest of my life.”

“She?” Edelgard echoed, looking hopeful.

Byleth nodded. “She guides me in a lot of ways. I’d be lost without her, honestly.”

“Professor, it sounds like you have a lot of emotions tied to this woman. Have you considered speaking to her about it face to face?”

She paused, considering. “No, I doubt that is necessary. She knows me better than I know myself, honestly.”

A small squeak caught Byleth’s attention. She turned, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword and approaching the windowsill.

“Professor? Is something wrong?”

Narrowing her eyes for a moment, she sighed and released the grip on her blade. “I thought I heard something, sorry. The events of the past few months have had me on edge.”

Meanwhile, Sothis was pressed flat against the exterior of the Goddess Tower. Her face was bright crimson as she clutched her chest, heart beating so fast that she couldn’t hear the howling of the wind blowing around her.

* * *

Byleth passed through the main halls of the monastery, a fishing rod in hand and a slight smile on her face. Sothis floated closely behind her, unusually quiet. After Byleth had returned from the ball, Sothis had refused to speak to her. At one point, Byleth had caught her staring. Upon questioning her, Sothis pretended to fall asleep.

Sighing, Byleth scratched her head and pushed the thought out of her mind. If Sothis wanted to talk, she would tell her. As she neared the main doors of the entrance hall, Alois came running up.

“Hey, Professor. Have you seen your old man?”

She shook her head. “I haven’t seen father in some time.”

“Too bad. I guess it will have to be you, then…”

Just as she was about to ask what was going on, Jeralt’s voice sounded from the other side of the hall. He hurried over, giving Alois an apologetic frown. “I’m back. Sorry for the delay, my last mission took longer than expected.”

“Captain! Thank goodness you’re here. There are reports of Demonic Beasts near the chapel!”

Jeralt snorted. “Nonsense. I haven’t heard anything about the monastery’s walls being breached.”

Alois nodded in agreement. “That’s why I’m heading there right now, to see what’s really going on. You’ll join as well, won’t you?”

“Of course.” Jeralt replied firmly, glancing at Byleth. “We’ve both sworn to protect this place.”

Sothis swooped over, her brow furrowing. “Demonic Beasts? That makes no sense. Those monsters are incredibly large. They would not have been able to sneak past the guards.”

Byleth raised an eyebrow.  _ Oh, so now I’m worth talking to? _

“Me being embarrassed is the least of our troubles right now. You must go find out the root of this at once.”

_ Wait, embarrassed? _

Before Sothis could respond, Alois cleared his throat. “It’s odd… Just before they appeared, someone saw a number of students heading toward the chapel.”

Sothis gasped. “Byleth. You know what this means, do you not?”

Grimacing, Byleth clutched the hilt of her blade and started walking off towards the dormitories. “I’m going to go get my students.”

Jeralt sighed. “Damn it… I wanted to talk to you about something important, but there’s no time. There’s never any damn time. We’ll meet you there, kid.”

* * *

Byleth’s sword cleaved through the body of a Demonic beast just in time to stop it from tearing out the throat of a cowering student. As the abomination roared in protest, the black substance that made up the hide of the monster dissipated, leaving behind a limp human form. Grimacing, Byleth stepped over the corpse, holding out a hand to the student. He accepted it gratefully, nodding to Byleth before running off to join the knights that had congregated near the walls.

Sothis looked over the battlefield with a grim expression, her arms folded and a cold anger seeming to radiate from her. “This is just like before.”

Rather than ask what Sothis was referring to, Byleth dashed over to rejoin her class. They looked upset, but were holding together far better than their first month, when they had fought against the bandits.

“This world is far too cruel.” Sothis said, looking sadly at the Black Eagles. “The looks your students have in their eyes are far from suitable for mere children.”

Byleth sighed. Normally she wouldn’t have thought much of the way her students jumped at every shadow. It was what her father taught her to do when she was little, to be cautious. But after spending time in the monastery, she’d come to understand that was not normal.

Jeralt’s horse charged forward, leaping over a savage strike from the last remaining beast. He pierced the monster right between its eyes with his lance, disintegrating it to ash.

Edelgard let out a cheer, alerting everyone to the end of the battle. Byleth strode past, ordering Edelgard to get all the students safely back to the monastery as she went to join Jeralt. Her father was carefully observing the chapel, frowning to himself.

“There isn’t a trace of evidence in the chapel.” He turned, nodding to Byleth as she approached. “This must have something to do with Remire. Perhaps…”

As Jeralt muttered to himself, Sothis inspected the remains of the building. “He is unlikely to find anything, you know. The reaction is due to the rejection of a Crest Stone. Any evidence would have been lost when the creatures were slain.”

Before Byleth could relay this information to her father, a shrill voice cut through the air.

“Wait!”

Byleth turned, her eyes widening as she spotted the student they’d rescued alongside Flayn a few moons back. Her name was Monica, a fiery red head who seemed obsessed with spending time with Edelgard. According to Seteth, she was a former student that had gone missing.

Jeralt raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Huh? Another student?”

He approached the girl, giving her a glance over. “Are you all right?”

Monica nodded, smiling widely at him. “Yup!”

“Good. Run along now.”

Sothis narrowed her eyes. “Something feels… off about that child.”

“Thanks for all your help, sir.” Monica chirped, circling around Jeralt like a baby duckling trying to get the attention of her mother. When she was behind him, however, she knelt down and turned sharply. Byleth’s eyes widened.

The sound of a knife piercing flesh echoed through the courtyard. Jeralt let out a grunt, staggering slightly. Monica stood behind him, hands wrapped around the dagger she’d just planted in his back.

“You’re just a pathetic old man.” Monica crooned, her voice losing the childish tone it had held moments before. Jeralt fell forward onto his knees, groaning in pain.

“Father!” Byleth shouted. Time came to a stop, the feeling of a divine pulse washing over her. She sent out an immense feeling of gratitude through the bond, reaching for her blade. Time resumed once more, but now Byleth was ready.

She swung her sword with all of her might, intent on taking Monica at the neck. However, the blade stopped short. A man in black robes with a sickly pale appearance appeared before her, blocking her strike. Monica’s knife sliced true despite Byleth’s attempt to intervene. Monica turned, eyes widening as she noticed the newcomer.

“Huh? What are you doing here?”

The man smiled. “You must survive. Merely because there is still a role that I require you to fulfill.”

He turned, snatching Monica by the wrist and warping away. Sothis watched in horror, her hands covering her mouth as she tried to stop herself from crying.

“Again.” Byleth said quietly.

“W-what?” Sothis asked, turning.

“AGAIN!” Byleth said, shouting this time. Sothis shook her head, at a loss for words.

Another divine pulse. Sothis was trembling, her eyes wide. “What do you intend to-”

She was cut short as Byleth resumed the flow of time again. Byleth leapt forward, attempting to tackle Monica to the ground and knock the knife from her grasp. Once again, the strange man appeared and blasted her back.

Again and again Byleth tried, each time doing something different in a desperate attempt to change what was happening. Every single time she was foiled by the pale man in black.

Byleth reached out to stop time once more when Sothis threw herself in front of her vessel. Her eyes were worn out, as if she hadn’t slept for weeks, and her entire body seemed to sag. “Byleth, please! Stop! You are killing us both!”

Cursing, Byleth tossed her sword aside and ran over to Jeralt. Her father’s eyes were closed, his breathing ragged as blood soaked through his tunic. She slipped her arms underneath him, cradling his head and putting pressure on the wound.

Jeralt coughed, a thin line of blood running from his lips. “Sorry…”

Byleth shook her head, eyes wide with pain. “There’s nothing to apologize for.”

He chuckled, wincing with the motion. “It looks like… I’m going to have to leave you now.”

Growling, Byleth pressed her hands firmly against the wound and channelled healing magic into her father. When it didn’t work, she tried again, putting all of her strength into it. Nothing. The blade had been poisoned in order to prevent faith magic from taking hold.

A drop of water fell on Jeralt’s cheek. He opened his eyes again, staring softly at Byleth. “To think… that the first time I saw you cry… your tears would be for me.”

Jeralt heaved a sigh, his entire body shuddering from the effort. “Thank you… kid.”

…

Another drop of water fell, striking the ground. Then another. Soon, the very sky seemed to be in mourning. Rain pelted Byleth’s back, sending little shocks of icy cold throughout her body. She didn’t move.

Even over the roar of the rain Sothis could hear, clear as day, the sound of Byleth weeping in agony. She winced, her entire body aching from going beyond her limit. Sothis reached for Byleth, knowing how badly her vessel needed her right now, but fell short. Once again, Sothis was helpless to save those she cared about. Cursing with what little strength she had left, Sothis slipped into the black once more.


	3. Learning to Cope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The loss of Jeralt has left Byleth broken and distant. Sothis has been asleep since the incident as well, leaving no one to comfort the wayward professor. Well, almost no one.
> 
> Byleth learns a lot about emotion.
> 
> Sothis makes a hard choice.
> 
> Rhea is maybe less than subtle about her interest in a certain human.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, this is not a Rhea x F!Byleth fic. Sorry, internet. I do think that ship is arguably the most romantic in the entire god damn game (fucking Rhea you bitch why do YOU get to be saved by the power of love SMH), but that's not what this fic is focusing on. I maintain that the world goes on OUTSIDE of one singular ship, which should be apparent in THIS FUCKING CHAPTER WHICH IS LONGER THAN THE OTHER TWO COMBINED. GODDESS this chapter got away from me. Coming in at a run time of 52 pages and over 19,000 WORDS, this is one doozy of a read.
> 
> Did you know that I originally intended for there to be just two chapters? LMAO.
> 
> Ty so much to Nexidava, Abigail, inRemote, and my literal MOTHER for proofreading this fic! Y'all are the best <3 <3 <3
> 
> Anyways, this is it for Act 1 and pre-timeskip! I hope you all enjoy the read <3
> 
> P.S. I have a Discord! You can find the link to it here (a twitter redirect): https://twitter.com/LetsTussleBoiz/status/1175707411098697728  
> (Due to the way Ao3 does notes, you'll have to copy paste the link into your browser :c)

The next few days crawled by at an agonizingly slow pace. Byleth felt completely empty, even more so than before she had come to the monastery. Multiple people had come to try and cheer her up with encouraging words and heartfelt gifts, but she had turned them all away.

Rhea in particular seemed eager to care for her, ensuring that Byleth’s schedule was cleared in order to have time for mourning. Normally she would have refused such an offer, but the pitiful stares her students had been giving her was enough to make her reconsider.

Worst of all, Sothis had yet to wake up following the incident. No doubt she had expended an enormous amount of energy trying to rewind time so many times in succession, and yet Byleth had ignored her cries. She shuddered, clinging to herself underneath the bed sheets. Normally, Byleth would either ignore or relish the cold, depending on the intensity. Now it simply felt painful; a dull, throbbing ache.

A knock at the door roused her from her stupor. She moaned, rubbing her head and sitting up. “What is it?”

Byleth heard the telltale sound of Edelgard clearing her throat. “It’s me, Professor.”

“Ah.”

She sat up, wincing at the effort. Despite having only suffered minor injuries, her entire body groaned at the movement. Pulling on her clothes, she opened the door and, failing to conjure a convincing smile, simply nodded at the house leader.

“Here to comfort me like all the others?”

“No, actually.” Edelgard replied curtly. “Can I come in?”

Byleth raised an eyebrow, then nodded.

Edelgard brushed past her, not meeting her gaze. She inspected the room, tapping her lip thoughtfully. “You kept your room clean despite your… current state of being. I’m impressed.”

“What do you want, Edelgard?” Byleth finally said, dropping the meager facade she’d managed to conjure.

She turned, her gaze fierce. “What I want is for my teacher to stop being so blinded by grief that she fails to notice what is happening right in front of her.”

Byleth winced, taken aback by the harshness of her words. Edelgard continued, unwilling to let Byleth slip back into her mournful state. “It appears to me that you have curled up in a corner and lost the will to carry on. You’ve lost yourself, my teacher.”

Opting to say nothing, Byleth simply stared at the floor. What Edelgard had said was entirely accurate, and Byleth had no way of retorting. Her gaze softening slightly, Edelgard stepped back over to Byleth and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Others can sympathize or even empathize, but all anyone else can offer are the tears of an outsider looking in.”

Her gaze hardened again, lip curling slightly. “So I have no intention of crying for you, or of standing still with you. All I can do is promise to reach out my hand when the time comes for me to move forward.”

Something about the tone of her voice hinted to a larger point. Byleth narrowed her eyes and gestured for her to continue, grief momentarily pushed aside. From the sound of it, Edelgard had what she wanted; the target for her revenge.

Edelgard nodded, smiling slightly. “The mysterious organization that was carrying out experiments in Remire Village and the chapel… They’re up to something near Garreg Mach. The archbishop has sent the knights to-”

“Where?” Byleth said, cutting her off. Edelgard shook her head, running her hand along the banister of Byleth’s bed.

“We don’t know. However, I am confident that the location of our enemies will surface soon. When we find them, will you lead us into battle, or will you simply sit here with no thought to the future that is fast approaching?”

Byleth closed her eyes, leaning her head against the wall. Edelgard was right, but that didn’t make it any easier. With her father dead and Sothis asleep, Byleth felt more lost than ever. And yet… here was Edelgard, offering a way forward. She would be a fool not to take it.

“Fine. I’m in.”

* * *

Rhea’s invitation came the following morning. Groaning, Byleth pinched her brow and pushed out of her bedroom, doing her best not to fall over. She hadn’t slept at all last night, dreading what came next. Since Sothis had fallen asleep, Byleth had done her best to avoid Rhea. What was she supposed to tell her?

_ ‘Oh she’s fine, Lady Rhea.’  _ Byleth thought snidely, _ ‘I simply pushed your mother to her limits without any regard for her safety or wellbeing, and now she’s asleep for far longer than is normally healthy. But hey, that’s pretty normal for her so no harm done, right?’ _

She snorted.  _ Yeah, like that wouldn’t get me executed. _

Sothis floated slightly above Byleth’s bed, hair draping down her neck in waves. It had taken some time, but Byleth had finally gotten used to Sothis’ original form. Her height in particular had been something difficult to come to terms with. Women over six feet tall were rare in Fodlan, yet Sothis towered above even them. Byleth smiled as Sothis’ nose twitched in her sleep.

_ Sothis, what am I going to do without you? _

Luckily, it seemed like she wouldn’t need to find out. Sothis let out a loud yawn, stretching out and blinking her eyes sleepily. She glanced around, nuzzling into the pillow on Byleth’s bed.

Wait.

“Sothis, did you just touch my bed?”

Sothis looked up at her, gaze still foggy from having just woken up. “What? No. That is impossible. Now, leave me alone. This pillow is quite comfortable.”

Nuzzling into the soft bedding, she closed her eyes again. Then, she shot out of the bed and slammed her head into the roof. “Ach! Blasted ceiling!”

She nursed her head bump, eyes watering from the pain. Byleth watched with her mouth agape. “Sothis, you just pushed yourself against my bed. And hit your head on the roof. Is that even possible?”

Sothis gave her a rueful smile, shrugging slightly. “Apparently so, Byleth. I admit that I do not know how this has come to pass. However, before everything became difficult, I made the discovery myself by smoothing a bit of your hair.”

“And you didn’t think to bring this up?” Byleth questioned, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow.

The goddess smiled sadly. “I was planning on it, but the incident with the chapel took precedence at the time, you put me out of commission shortly afterwards.”

Sothis staggered as overwhelming guilt flooded through the bond, nearly knocking her to the ground. “Byleth, it is all right!” She cried, scrambling over and resting a hand against her face. Guilt was instantly replaced with shock as Sothis’ hand made contact with her skin. Sothis was unsure if the shock was because of the bond or her own surprise at how nice Byleth’s skin felt. It was probably both.

Drawing her hand back (albeit reluctantly), Sothis cleared her throat. “A-anyways, all is forgiven. You were in a bit of a state, and it was perfectly understandable.”

Byleth frowned. “How can you forgive me so easily? I hurt you, and it was all for nothing.”

Tossing her head back, Sothis gave Byleth the most imperious gaze she could muster. “You dare to question the words of your goddess? My word is absolute, Byleth.”

Her vessel stared at her in confusion, then smiled. “Ah. Yes, of course, my goddess.” She bowed low, her hair furling over her shoulders. Sothis inwardly sighed with relief at Byleth’s willingness to play along.

“I see that you have recuperated well during my slumber. Considering the state you were in before I lost consciousness, I had presumed that all of my time this coming moon would be spent piecing you back together.”

For a moment, Byleth didn’t respond. Her fists tightened and she avoided meeting Sothis’ eyes. “If it were not for Edelgard bringing me to my senses, you may have had to.”

Sothis winced, shoving aside the rising feelings and giving Byleth a reassuring smile. “Then it seems I owe our house leader a debt. That notwithstanding…”

In a flash, Sothis was behind Byleth. Her years of training made Byleth whirl, only to be met with Sothis grabbing hold of both her ears and pulling. Hard.

“Ow!”

Eyes filling with glee, Sothis clapped excitedly. “Oh this is wonderful! Now I can punish you when you disobey me. You have no idea how badly I have been wanting to do that.”

Byleth nursed her ears, glaring at Sothis. “Don’t do that again.”

“No promises. Now, since you no longer have to discern what lies to tell my daughter, shall we depart? She and I have… words to share.”

Not waiting for a response, Sothis grabbed Byleth’s hand and pulled her out the door. Byleth let out a slight gasp at how warm Sothis’ hands felt. Part of her had been convinced she would be ice cold to the touch. She quickly slipped her hand from Sothis’ grasp as they passed a throng of Blue Lion students. Whispers of the Black Eagle professor being led around by a ghost were the last thing she needed right now.

_ There are enough rumors as it is,  _ Byleth thought, smiling to the guards as they entered the base floor of the Reception Hall. Her eyes widened as a student passed straight through Sothis.

_ So you can control it? _

“I guess so.” Sothis said, frowning. She hadn’t chosen to phase through that student. “We should test this with one of the Black Eagles later.”

_ That might not be such a good idea,  _ Byleth thought.

“They would never know it was me!” Sothis protested, huffing.

Byleth shook her head.  _ Edelgard is very perceptive. She might notice something. _

Sothis sighed in resignation, glancing around the room. “Then I shall try with my daughter later.”

The pair rounded the corner just in time for Byleth to be violently yanked aside. Sothis bristled with alarm, shock quickly shifting to disbelief as she realized what had happened. Rhea had pulled Byleth into a fierce hug. Byleth stood there, stiff as a board, giving Sothis a pleading look.

“This is your mess to deal with, Byleth.”

_ But she’s YOUR daughter,  _ Byleth thought angrily, giving her a pointed stare.

“A daughter that spent over a thousand years without me nearby to observe. Who knows what changes she underwent.”

It occurred to Byleth that they were standing in a public area. She glanced around, eyes widening slightly as she met the stares of a confused group of guards. The men and women stood, mouths agape, utterly taken aback by the actions of the Archbishop. Seemingly coming to her senses, Rhea pushed back from Byleth and brushed off her skirt, clearing her throat.

“It is… good to see you, Professor. Please, come with me.”

Byleth nodded. “Okay.”

“Are you really telling me that even something like that can’t break your neutral demeanor?” Sothis said, rolling her eyes.

_ Not externally, but you know what’s going on in my head right now.  _

“Oh yes,” Sothis replied, smirking, “It is a veritable hurricane of thoughts and emotions. Please avoid drowning me in your feelings. I would prefer to have my faculties clear for this approaching discussion.”

_ Sorry. _

Byleth followed Rhea to her private quarters, trying to ignore the prying gazes of each guard they passed. While Byleth had grown somewhat used to Rhea calling her here, she had not acclimated to the way the others looked at her. Rhea stepped out onto the terrace, taking a seat at a small table set up outside. A teapot sat steeping on the surface, wisps of steam seeping out from the sides.

“Have a seat, Professor.” Rhea said, gesturing to the chair across from her. She had a warm smile, her eyes lacking the usual probing that made Byleth uncomfortable around her.

Byleth ventured a guess. “You… don’t want to talk to Sothis, do you?”

She nodded. “While I would certainly appreciate mother’s company, it occurred to me that I have not given enough attention to you. You have done so much for me, and yet I had to act distant when dear Jeralt perished.”

Frowning, she took a sip of her iced tea. She sighed in satisfaction, setting down the expensive glassware with a clink. “How are you doing with that, Professor?”

“Better, thank you. Sothis and Edelgard have been a big help.”

Rhea’s eyes narrowed imperceptibly at the mention of Edelgard, but it was gone so quickly Byleth wasn’t sure if she had imagined it or not. “Wonderful. It should please you to know that we have located the men responsible, and will have them cornered soon.”

Byleth shot to her feet, jostling the table. “What?”

“Calm yourself, Professor. Our knights are handling it as we speak. I know you must want revenge, and I can empathize with that desire, but you must exercise caution.” She gave her another of her patented gentle smiles, but without the usual distance it held. Sighing, Byleth pinched her brow and sat back down.

“I am a capable fighter, Lady Rhea. Why am I not allowed to join the knights on their expedition?”

Rhea frowned, her gaze sharpening. Byleth could feel the air around her grow tense. The archbishop did not get emotional often, but when she did her feelings seemed to choke the air out of anyone nearby. “It is almost certainly a trap for you, Professor.”

“Me?” Byleth echoed, confused. “Why would they be after me?”

Sothis floated nearby, staring intensely at her daughter. She had opted not to say anything, more interested in what Rhea would reveal if she was unsure of her mother’s presence.

“Think carefully. While Jeralt is an accomplished knight and we mourn his loss terribly, his death is not as significant a blow to the church as they could have enacted. Their target is not me. Who do they affect the most by killing Jeralt?”

Byleth stared, pieces still not sliding into place. “But why me?”

Rhea gestured to the sword at her side. “You wield the Sword of the Creator. That means you have a connection to the goddess Sothis. Our enemies would most likely know this.”

She sighed, leaning back in her seat and staring up at the sky. “In addition, when you fought Solon in Remire village, he named you Fell Star. That… is the epithet the Agarthans used for my mother a lifetime ago.”

Sothis froze, her eyes wild. “Did she just…”

“Mother, if you are here, you must convince Byleth not to go after them. You above everyone else must know what the Agarthans are capable of. I will not let those vermin take my mother from me again.”

Biting her lip, Byleth’s gaze darted between Sothis and Rhea, the two seeming to glare at one another. “Can you… can you see her?”

Rhea sighed. “No, but that does tell me what I wanted to know. Why do you ask? Have there been any noticeable changes?”

Byleth shot a glance at Sothis. Unlike before, she merely raised an eyebrow and shrugged in response.  _ How unhelpful of you,  _ Byleth thought at her, then shook her head.

“Nothing, Lady Rhea. You were just coincidentally making eye contact.”

“Just Rhea is fine, Professor.”

“Pardon?” Byleth and Sothis said in unison.

Rhea smiled, resting a hand on top of Byleth’s from across the table. “Formalities feel strange now, after everything that has happened. Your closeness with the goddess Sothis almost makes you family. Do you not agree?”

“She would not dare…” Sothis muttered, glowering at her daughter. Byleth ignored her, far more distracted by the uncharacteristic vulnerability Rhea was showing.

“I suppose…” Byleth said hesitantly. She felt Sothis turn her glare to her, boring into her back.

“Then it is settled.” Rhea said, still smiling at her affectionately.

* * *

Byleth shoved the plate of noa fruit cake aside, gagging at the taste. Sothis, meanwhile, hummed happily while she pushed her cheeks together.

“Simply divine! I give my thanks to the goddess for not possessing Byleth’s terrible taste in food.”

She mimicked a bow to herself, grinning from ear to ear. “It was my pleasure, goddess.”

Rolling her eyes, Byleth stood up and approached the counter to request a new dish. As she stood in line, she spotted Edelgard striding up to her from the other side of the hall. Her expression seemed to lack the openness from recent times, observing Byleth critically like she had at the beginning of the year.

“What has gotten her in such a sour mood?” Sothis murmured.

Byleth greeted her with a slight wave. “Is everything all right, Edelgard?”

The house leader glanced around, then leaned in close. Sothis huffed, folding her arms and turning her attention back to the buffet to choose their next dish.

“If it is alright with you, my teacher, I would like to speak with you in private.”

“Oh, uhh…” Byleth paused, glancing at Sothis. She smiled back, waving her hand dismissively.

“I will be just fine if we stop here, Byleth. However, you owe me a tasty treat later as payment.” Sothis said.

Byleth relented to Edelgard’s request, following her back to the Black Eagle classroom. Rather surprisingly, Edelgard seemed nervous as they walked, avoiding Byleth’s gaze. Glancing around, she failed to notice Hubert’s presence, but assumed he was nearby. They stepped into the classroom and shut the doors behind them. It was the afternoon, and no students had opted to use the room for studying today. Edelgard started pacing, biting her finger as she did.

“What’s going on?” Byleth asked, concerned at the state the house leader was in.

Edelgard stopped, met her eyes, then breathed in sharply. “My teacher, I have heard some interesting rumors about you. They have been circulating amongst the Black Eagles. As house leader, I felt it prudent to discuss this with you in private in order to safely dismiss them. The students are getting riled, you see.”

Sothis grinned, circling Edelgard to take note of how her hands were trembling. “She is very good at pretending not to be personally involved. How cute.”

Shrugging, Byleth leaned against her desk. “There are lots of rumors about me. It’s only logical, since I became a professor out of nowhere and now wield the Sword of the Creator.”

Hesitating, Edelgard glanced at the weapon at Byleth’s side. She ran her hand along the Black Eagles banner hanging next to her, lost in thought. “You are… correct, my teacher. However, this rumor could have lasting damage on the Black Eagle house. There have been murmurs of Lady Rhea embracing you in public, and that you two are in a relationship.”

“WHAT?!” Sothis shouted, fists trembling as she glared at Edelgard. Byleth said nothing, eyes wide with shock. She bit her lip, glancing at Sothis.

“Why are you looking at me, fool? Obviously you have to dismiss such nonsense.” Sothis said coldly.

Byleth frowned.  _ But she really did hug me, and said we were like family. _

“That is not the kind of relationship she means, you dimwitted excuse of a vessel.”

_ Why are you so angry with me? _

Edelgard cleared her throat, jerking Byleth’s attention away from Sothis. “Do you have anything to say on this matter, Professor? The other students are restless, and a firm conviction from you should help dispel any future conflict on this topic.”

“Hmmmm… I suppose it is true that Rhea and I have been spending more time together lately. She’s been insistent on comforting me after… after the death of my father. Part of me thinks she blames herself. However, I assure you that we are not in ‘that’ kind of relationship.”

The house leader’s eyes widened. “Lady Rhea did not strike me as someone to mourn the death of another in such an intimate way. My apologies, I was jumping to conclusions, then. I will inform the other students in a way that respects your privacy.”

Byleth nodded appreciatively. “Thank you, Edelgard.”

As Edelgard departed, Sothis stared after her, face unreadable. “I doubt we have heard the end of this.”

Instead of responding, Byleth leaned her head against a column, staring up at the cross-braced ceiling. Being the center of attention wasn’t Byleth’s style. Sure, she had the title of ‘Ashen Demon’ among mercenaries, but her father was always the one at the forefront. Now there were hundreds of people watching her every move, scrutinizing each interaction.

She sighed, sitting down on the floor and glancing at Sothis. “What was it like, being a goddess amongst a race you created?”

Sothis sat down next to Byleth, crossing her legs and leaning back on her palms. “Honestly, it was lonely. That might have been why I kept Rhea so close to me, unlike my other children. When everyone reveres you as some sort of goddess, they tend to keep their distance.”

Giving Byleth a warm smile, she poked her vessel in the cheek. “That is why I am so appreciative of the fact that you did not treat me differently once you learned of my status as a deity. Losing the connection we have would be… unpleasant.”

“Agreed. Do you have any advice, then, on how I can deal with all of these expectations?”

“Ignore them.” Sothis said firmly, “Live your life how you intended to. If everyone truly appreciates you and what you do, they will adapt their expectations.”

Byleth nodded, resting her head on Sothis’ shoulder. Sothis stiffened at the touch, then sighed and leaned against Byleth in turn. “You have worked plenty hard, Byleth. Whatever you do from now on, I have complete faith that it will be just as impressive as all you have done before.”

* * *

Sothis walked next to Byleth, opting to have her feet planted on firm ground over floating. With each passing day, she found herself relishing the simplest of sensations: the cold tiles against her bare skin, the soft warmth of a well used bed, how nice Byleth’s skin felt to-

Shaking her head, she halted that train of thought before it could conclude itself. The last thing she needed was to be distracted. Byleth, meanwhile, was doing better. She sported her usual slight smile and gave polite greetings to everyone who passed, a significant improvement to how she was at the beginning of the moon. Sothis took a bit of pride in that, knowing that her words had aided in rousing the mournful professor. Granted, Edelgard had helped her as well, but she had already agreed to pay her back later. No need to glorify her actions any further.

“Rhea has requested my presence rather often lately, don’t you think?” Byleth said aloud, eyes ahead. Her hand brushed against the hilt of her sword, betraying what was really on her mind.

“Yes, she has. To be honest, I believe she is spending time with you in order to distract you.”

Byleth grimaced. “I don’t need to be protected.”

“Of course not. However, that will not stop those who care from trying anyways.”

Stopping mid stride, Sothis nearly bumped into Byleth’s back. Her vessel turned to her, frowning. “That doesn’t change what I want.”

The clacking of shoes against tile tore Byleth’s gaze away. Edelgard approached briskly, frowning. “Professor! I know where the enemy is… where Solon is.”

Sothis winced at the wave of anger surging through their bond. She hated seeing Byleth riled up, but knew it was foolish to try and calm her down. This was the man who orchestrated the death of her father, after all.

“They’re in a place called the Sealed Forest,” Edelgard continued, “close to the monastery. The archbishop is gathering knights to begin a search. She is doing so in secret, behind our backs.”

“Ah.” Sothis said, lips curling slightly in displeasure. “She called us to her chambers today to avoid us learning about this.”

Byleth grit her teeth. “Go on.”

“She must be afraid that your thirst for revenge will compel you to seek them out. Now that you know, will you give us the order?”

Inspecting Edelgard, Sothis bit her lip. “I want to know where Edelgard got this information from, but that hardly seems important right now. Will you do as she asks?”

Before Byleth could respond, Rhea approached them with Seteth and a few knights in tow. “No. I will not allow it.”

Seteth adopted a concerned gaze, bowing slightly to Byleth. “While I understand your frustration, Professor, this discovery comes just when the knights are at their busiest. It is all too likely that our foes revealed themselves to lure you out.”

Rhea took Byleth’s hands in hers, giving her a gentle smile but remaining firm in her resolve. “Please, Byleth. Do not act carelessly. I ask that you leave this to us. Losing you would be unbearable.”

There was a hint of desperation in her eyes, although Byleth wasn’t sure why. She assumed it was because Rhea did not want to lose Sothis, but for some reason that felt wrong.

Edelgard, meanwhile, was not willing to stand down. “Lady Rhea, our professor is not acting out of revenge.”

_ I’m not?  _ Byleth thought, confused.

“Shhh!” Sothis hissed. “She is trying to create a plausible case for you. Try not to screw it up.”

“Sending us out there is the most strategic move we can make. You can’t deny it.” Edelgard said defiantly, matching Rhea’s gaze. Rhea frowned, unsure of how to respond to such a direct confrontation against her authority.

“Most of the knights are still far away.” Edelgard continued, not willing to leave room for argument. “Not only does our professor wield a Hero’s Relic, but there is no one here who is more powerful.”

Sothis cocked an eyebrow at that. “That is not entirely accurate. If my daughter shed her human form, she would be far stronger than you, Byleth.”

_ Please don’t drop such intense information on me during such an important moment, Sothis,  _ Byleth pleaded inwardly. Giggling, Sothis winked at her vessel and obliged.

Edelgard pressed on, despite the glower she was getting from Rhea. “Seteth and the few remaining knights can’t leave the monastery unattended. We have fought under our teacher’s command countless times. We are the most effective army here, and we are already prepared for battle.”

Meeting Rhea’s gaze, she stared her down with a force that even impressed Sothis. “We have no idea what the enemy is plotting. We must act now!”

Rhea turned to Byleth, her gaze stern. “Byleth, do you agree with this strategy?”

Byleth tried to give her the most reassuring smile she could muster. “Everything she said is true, Rhea.”

Seteth stiffened at the casual way Byleth addressed the archbishop but chose not to voice a complaint. Rhea stared at Byleth for a moment, then sighed and nodded. “Understood. I will give you the order. Destroy the enemy that is hiding in the Sealed Forest… You have the protection of the goddess on your side. Whatever happens, you shall overcome.”

“Leave it to my daughter to praise me whilst sounding like she is being reassuring.” Sothis said, grinning. “Oh well, I suppose it falls to me to protect you, as always. I accept this burden.”

_ Thanks, Sothis. I know you’re teasing, but that still means a lot to hear. _

Blushing, Sothis shoved her slightly. “Silence, fool!”

Byleth did her best to play it off as a bow to Rhea, not wanting to seem unstable. Edelgard turned to Byleth and smiled. “Let’s go, my teacher. Whatever happens, do not lose your conviction out there.”

Sothis watched as Byleth’s gaze darkened, shouldering the wave of negative emotion that poured through their connection. “Trust me, Edelgard, I won’t.”

* * *

The ride to the Sealed Forest was made largely in silence. At least, to everyone else it was silent. Byleth and Sothis were eagerly discussing battle plans, unbeknownst to the students.

_ I’m telling you, it would be more effective if Edelgard and I spearheaded with Petra and Ferdinand covering our flanks. _ Byleth thought, scanning her class. They had grown much in these past few months, their skill in battle nothing to sneeze at. Unlike at the start of the year, Byleth was unsure if she could defeat all of them in practice. Edelgard especially had grown to be a force of devastation on the battlefield, easily handling whole squadrons of enemy soldiers on her own.

Sothis rolled her eyes. “Yes, Byleth, you and Edelgard would make an excellent spearhead. But that is precisely what the enemy will be thinking as well. This is a trap for you, remember? They have doubtlessly researched and observed your tactics and fighting style. There will be a plan in place to counter your own. We need to be unorthodox in our approach.”

Shaking her head, Byleth kept her eyes forward but flashed her disapproval through their bond.  _ The enemy would profit from us having a less than optimal battle plan. We have the divine pulse if it comes to it, and I’ve instructed Linhardt to keep a charge of warp ready in case we need it. _

She gave Sothis a reassuring smile, patting the sword at her side.  _ Plus, Edelgard insists that I have the power of an entire army at this point. With you at my side, I doubt we have anything to worry about. _

“You know,” Sothis said, face red, “I am getting tired of you saying such sweet and sappy things offhandedly. It is almost like I am sick with how frequently my face is overheating these days.”

Chuckling, Byleth turned her gaze to the rest of the class. “Edelgard and I will take point. Once Petra returns, Ferdinand, you two will be in charge of the flanks. Caspar, I want you backing up the rear and protecting our casters. And Linhardt, remember what we discussed.”

All of them nodded in agreement. Right on time, Petra came galloping from the woods, face grim. “Professor, I have been locating the enemy. They are in the clearing fast approaching.”

Byleth nodded. “Is everyone ready?”

“Yes, Professor!” Her class voiced in unison. Byleth felt her heart swell with pride as she dismounted, signaling for the others to follow her. The roar of a demonic beast told Byleth all she needed to know.

“They knew we were coming. Everyone, into your positions!”

Stepping forward into the clearing with Edelgard at her side, Byleth drew the Sword of the Creator. It hummed with energy in her hands and she grinned. Edelgard noticed her smiling, eyes wide. “My teacher, you seem to be smiling a lot lately. I am happy to see that, but is now really the time?”

Byleth took a step forward, taking a few slashes with the blade. “I’m not sure, Edelgard. Maybe it’s because I feel we can’t lose.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the shrill voice of Monica from beyond the treeline, her voice amplified with some kind of magic. “Hello! You’re here! Welcome to the forest of death! My name is Kronya. This weakling girl was just a borrowed look for me.”

Her grip tightening on her sword, Byleth clenched her teeth. “Kronya…”

She heard Kronya giggle from beyond the treeline. “Oh, what’s this? Come to avenge your dear old daddy, Professor?”

Tensing, Byleth took another step forward. She felt a hand on either of her shoulders and turned to see both Sothis and Edelgard reaching to stop her.

“Stop, fool! She is trying to provoke you,” Sothis snapped.

Edelgard gave Byleth a hard stare. “Keep yourself together, my teacher. We need you level headed for this. Don’t make me a liar to Lady Rhea.”

Sighing, Byleth relented and fell back, signaling for her class to advance as one unit. They fought hard, carving through robed mage and demonic beast alike. The clattering of steel alleviated some of Byleth’s turmoil as she let herself slip into the flow of the battle. Sothis, meanwhile, was utilizing her newfound ability to interact with the world, shoving soldiers off balance and deflecting arrows midair. The enemy ranks collapsed with confusion and terror, fleeing from the Black Eagle’s assault. Byleth’s class rounded the corner, coming face to face with Monica and a few of her guards.

Monica met Byleth’s glare with a wide grin, then enveloped herself with a shadowy miasma. When she emerged, she looked completely different. Her red hair was now orange, her skin as white as the man who had defended her previously. Tendrils of cloth that seemed to wiggle organically sprouted from her waist, her eyes wild with glee. “This is what I really look like! Now, you vermin… I’ll take down every last one of you!”

Byleth nodded to Edelgard. “Take care of her guards. I’ll get rid of her myself.”

“Professor-”

Ignoring her student, Byleth leapt forward at Kronya, blade extended back behind her. Kronya met her assault, blocking her strike with her daggers. “You’re a fool to be so brazen. You’ll never avenge your father at this rate. I’ll have to kill you too! With my own hands!”

Breaking from their lock, Kronya danced between Byleth’s strikes, then swooped in to slice at Byleth’s neck. Before Byleth could react, Sothis full on backhanded Kronya, sending her sprawling.

Reeling, Kronya stumbled to her feet and clutched her cheek. “What?! How did you hit me?”

Byleth grinned, advancing on her. This was exactly what she wanted; Kronya confused and frightened, backpedaling as she pressed her advantage. Whatever trap Kronya had enacted was clearly failing.

Screeching, Kronya turned tail and fled, vanishing into the forest. Edelgard and her class had just dispatched the last of the enemy soldiers and rushed to Byleth’s side. “Professor, what next?”

“I’m going after her. Keep behind me and be careful. This may be part of their trap for me.” To further emphasize her point, she gave a pointed stare at Linhardt. He nodded, flexing his fingers and yawning.

Satisfied, Byleth charged after Kronya. She caught up to the woman quickly. Her opponent was stumbling through the woods, confused and frightened. Frowning, Byleth clenched her sword tightly. Was this really a trap? Or were her opponents truly this incapable? No, they had taken Jeralt from her after months of hiding under her nose. And yet…

_ Why do I feel so uneasy? _ Byleth thought. Sothis floated along, nodding in agreement.

“I feel the same. She does not strike me as someone capable of planning orante schemes. Keep your eyes out for the real mastermind, like that Agarthan from before.”

Kronya reached the edge of the forest, but her foot caught on a root. She tumbled forward, crying out as she smashed against the stone of a strange dias. Byleth stepped out of the treeline, Sword of the Creator glowing in her hands as she stalked towards Kronya.

Clamoring to her feet, Kronya held out a knife with trembling hands. “But how? How could I really lose to a lowly creature like you?”

Byleth frowned. “This is for my father, Kronya, and all of the people you hurt.”

“Well now.”

Kronya whirled, coming face to face with Solon. He was smiling widely, staring her down with contempt.

“Solon! Don’t just stand there and stare. I need your help!”

Solon chuckled, approaching Kronya with a sinister smile. “Yes, you most certainly do.”

“Huh?” Kronya said, turning fully to face him.

Sothis frowned, holding out a hand in front of Byleth. “Stay back. This seems dangerous.”

Byleth and Sothis gasped in unison as Solon thrust his hand through Kronya’s chest. She whimpered in agony, the sound of bones breaking and flesh tearing filling the air.

“Have no fear, Kronya. Your sacrifice will help to rid this world of the filthy vermin that have long infested it.”

Eyes widening, Sothis turned and snatched Byleth by the arm. “Quick! Run!”

Dark magic flowed from Kronya’s body, enveloping Solon. The energy quickly flowed to the four pillars surrounding the altar. A black fire spread around the edge of the clearing, surrounding Byleth.

“This is their trap, I am sure of it! I am going to divine pulse us out of here.” Sothis said, closing her eyes. Nothing. “W-what?”

Byleth turned, confused. “Sothis?”

“I-I cannot use my powers. This flame…”

The black flames rose up high, then crashed on Byleth like a tidal wave. Wincing at the pain, Byleth tried to struggle free, but was quickly restrained by the dark tendrils.

Tearing his hand from Kronya’s chest and allowing her body to slump to the floor, Solon raised his arm high. “The time has finally come…”

Turning, he met Byleth’s gaze and smiled. “... to unleash the forbidden spell of Zahras on our enemies!”

Kronya looked up from where she’d fallen, staring pleadingly at Byleth. “Please… help me…”

The black fire enveloped her completely, then surged towards Byleth and Sothis. Gasping, Byleth tensed and threw herself in front of Sothis protectively. Surrounding them completely, it blew past them like a ferocious wind. Edelgard and the others reached the clearing just in time to see Byleth vanish into the black flames.

“Professor!”

* * *

Groaning, Byleth sat up and glanced around. Wherever she was, it was black as far as the eyes could see. She looked down at her hands, frowning at the fact that she was able to see despite what felt to be endless darkness surrounding them.

“You absolute fool!” Sothis screeched. She appeared before Byleth on her throne in a flash of green, staring down at her with rage.

“What were you  _ thinking? _ ” Sothis railed, stepping off of her throne and stalking down the steps, fists clenched and shaking. “You knew it was a trap! Are you just a boulder that rolls down whatever hill it is on?”

She stopped in front of her, her entire body trembling. “No, even a boulder has more sense!”

Sothis turned, unwilling to meet Byleth’s gaze. “And after all of the promises you made to everyone. You truly are a fool.”

Byleth bit her lip. “I-I can explain…”

Whirling on her, Sothis backhanded Byleth. “Excuses will not help us! Do you see the darkness that surrounds us?”

She spun, gesturing to the expanse of nothingness around them. “I am a goddess, yet this… emptiness scares even me!”

Her gaze softened. “Let alone myself, someone that I care about immensely has trapped themselves within a void.”

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

Sothis chewed on her knuckle, frowning. “Give me some time to think.”

Nodding, Byleth sat back and watched as Sothis paced and grumbled to herself. Even in this situation she glowed as brightly as the sun. Byleth smiled, thinking back to the first time she had met Sothis. She had chided her before as well, railing on her despite having the appearance of a mere child. Now she towered over Byleth, her ranting twice as frightening as before. For some reason, Byleth didn’t feel panicked, despite their dire circumstances. Sothis had saved them before, so Byleth had faith that she would do it again.

Sothis, meanwhile, was trying her best to ignore the feelings Byleth was essentially throwing at her. She knew of a way to get out of here, but it was not a solution she was willing to utilize. Racking her brain, she searched desperately for alternatives.  _ Byleth would never agree anyways,  _ she thought, biting her nails.  _ The feelings flowing through the bond are enough evidence to support that. _

Her thoughts went back to Byleth’s response when she had first stopped time for her. Her vessel had said she was content with staying within the void with her. Perhaps…

_ No,  _ she thought firmly to herself,  _ I will not let Byleth waste away in this darkness just to satisfy my selfishness. But how do I get her to agree… _

An idea struck her and she winced. She did not enjoy the thought of lying to Byleth, but this was the only way she could think of. Turning, she tried to maintain a neutral expression as she stared down her vessel. 

_ Surely I must have obtained a fraction of a poker face after spending so much time with Byleth. _

Byleth noticed her gaze and smiled warmly. Sothis felt her heart wrench. “Have you figured it out?”

Sothis nodded. “I have. It would take a god to break out of this dimension. Unfortunately, I am without a form to utilize my powers. But I believe that if we become one in our desires, we can free ourselves.”

Nodding slowly, Byleth frowned. “What does that entail?”

“Byleth… how do you feel about me?” Sothis asked hesitantly, inspecting her. Byleth froze, frowning and scratching her head.

“You’re very important to me, Sothis. I thought I’d made that clear by now.”

“Not that,” Sothis said, shaking her head, “I need you to be completely transparent about how you feel. Otherwise, we cannot unite our feelings.”

Her vessel stared at her, deep in thought. She opened her mouth to respond, then closed it again, pondering further. When at last she spoke, her voice was uncharacteristically gentle. “Sothis… I have known you for over a year now. And before that, I kept seeing you in my dreams. You fascinated me, to the point that I could not stop thinking about you. Then, this hectic year blew past us and I learned so much about you. Hell, I even met your daughter.”

Sothis chuckled as Byleth continued, staring at her intently. “Edelgard met me in the Goddess Tower at the night of the ball. She spoke about the love between her mother and father, and explained to me what love truly was. At the time, I didn’t really get it.”

She approached Sothis, her smile softening even further. “Now, I think I do.”

Shuddering, Sothis felt tears trickle down her face. “Then we are of the same heart.”

Byleth pulled Sothis into a hug, grinning from ear to ear. Sothis struggled to keep her tears from turning into a downpour, pushing away from Byleth.

“What comes next, Sothis?”

Inhaling sharply, Sothis closed her eyes. “Next… the only thing I can do is hope that you will forgive me.”

“Wha-”

“Please, Byleth. Use this power to protect everyone. My daughter, your students, and especially yourself.”

“Sothis, what are you-”

Sothis moved to stand in front of Byleth. Her smile was sad, and the tears she had restrained were flowing freely. “Your will and mine are now one. Both sides of time are revealed to you… and you alone.”

“I-”

Holding a finger up to her lips, Sothis continued. “You know me to be the Beginning. Now you must protect Fodlan and all who live in it.”

A golden light erupted from Sothis’ throne, surrounding them like the black flames from before. However, this light felt gentle, as if Sothis herself were made up of this essence. Byleth reached towards Sothis, eyes clouded with confusion. Giggling through her tears, Sothis stepped past Byleth’s arm. Byleth gasped as Sothis pressed her lips against her own, draping her arms around her.

_ Do not forget me.  _ Byleth heard Sothis’ voice projected in her mind. Her eyes widened as Sothis began to dissolve into the golden light.

“Sothis!” Byleth shouted, wrapping her arms around the goddess to protect her. The last thing Byleth saw was Sothis’ smile as she vanished into nothing in her arms.

* * *

Edelgard stared Solon down, clutching her axe tightly. The others stood behind her, equally distressed. They had all voiced their faith in the Professor like her, but was it really possible to return? She wanted to kick herself for not confessing about her involvement to the Professor sooner. If she had, maybe this could have been avoided.

Her eyes widened when she heard a shout. She turned, her mouth agape as the tip of a sword slashed through the air. Solon stepped backwards in shock.

The sword tip yanked downwards violently, pulling open a rift in the very fabric of reality. From the rift stepped her teacher, glowing in a brilliant green light. To her shock, Byleth’s face was stricken with grief, even more so than when she had lost her father. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clutched the Sword of the Creator, her entire form seeming to radiate power.

“So the Fell Star consumes even the darkness itself…” Solon murmured, stupefied.

Edelgard frowned. Her professor was different, and it wasn’t just the crying. Her hair and eyes were now seafoam green, and her outfit had completely changed. The regalia she now wore sported numerous icons similar to those of the Church, tassels and chains of gold supporting an immense symbol of an inverted heart and two stars. She had a similar golden crown atop her head, with colorful tassels intertwined in her hair.

“Professor,” Edelgard said hesitantly, “It is you… right?”

Byleth turned to her, eyes visibly shaking. She managed a nod, clearly overwhelmed. Breathing in sharply, Edelgard pushed her doubts from her mind. “I knew that you would come back to us. I’d like to ask about your appearance, but for now, let’s dispose of our enemies.”

Nodding again, Byleth stepped towards Solon. The old man stepped backwards again, then waved his hands. A group of menacing soldiers warped in next to him, clearly a cut above the other warriors they had sent against Byleth and her class earlier.

“What did you see in the darkness of Zahras?” Solon said hoarsely, “This should be impossible. The only being that can withstand the darkness is…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Byleth leaped at him, roaring with anger. Edelgard stiffened with shock at the sheer amount of emotion Byleth was displaying. Solon’s troops stepped in the way, but Byleth turned in midair. Her sword released itself with terrifying speed, taking the soldiers at the necks. They collapsed into a heap without having a single chance to respond.

“Holy shit.” Dorothea muttered next to Edelgard. She was inclined to agree. Whilst it was Edelgard herself who had claimed Byleth was equivalent to an army all on her own, this… this was something else. She ripped through the enemy like paper, throwing troops aside as if they weighed nothing. Solon gasped, throwing up a protective spell just in time to prevent her teacher from slaughtering him.

“You terrify me…” Solon murmured, struggling to maintain the barrier, “Even though an emotion like fear has no place inside me.”

Smirking, Byleth ripped her sword back and outstretched her hand. An enormous beam of light smashed down from the sky as Byleth cast Abraxas, smashing Solon’s barrier to pieces. He stumbled backwards just in time for Byleth’s swing to slice him down the middle.

Collapsing, a strange ichor poured from Solon’s wound. He chuckled through the pain, coughing and wheezing as blood pooled from his form. “But this… is not the end… Thales will carry out our mission, somehow…”

His entire body heaved as he let out a groan, then closed his eyes.

“No.” Byleth said, reaching out her hand and casting healing magic on him. Solon gasped, eyes wide as Byleth drove her sword into him again.

Gasping, Edelgard turned to the rest of the class. All of them watched in horror as Byleth repeatedly sliced the man apart, knitting his rotten skin back together with her magic as she continued to carve him to pieces.

“Linhardt! Get me up there, now!” Edelgard ordered, sheathing her axe. Seeming to snap out of his shock, Linhardt nodded and warped Edelgard to the top of the plateau.

Edelgard sprinted up, tackling Byleth to the floor before she could repeat the process any further. “Professor, stop! Look at what you are doing!”

Byleth glared at Edelgard, throwing her off and staggering to her feet. “I’m… I’m fine.”

Sighing, Edelgard inspected Solon to ensure that he was properly dead. Satisfied, she turned back to Byleth. “It’s over. Now, Professor. About your appearance…”

“What about it?” Byleth snapped back, wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

“That hair… and those eyes… You remind me of someone. What happened to you?”

Glaring at her, Byleth said nothing. She still couldn’t process what had happened, and had instead opted to focus on the boiling anger within her. This intense feeling was new to Byleth, but if it was the result of losing Sothis, she would cling to it like her life depended on it.

Frowning, Edelgard placed her hands on her hips. “Lady Rhea said that you were blessed by the goddess… could she have granted you her power?”

Byleth’s gaze sharpened. She inspected Edelgard closely. “Why do you think that?”

“Professor, you just tore a hole in reality with your sword. Needless to say, I don’t think you could do that earlier this morning. The only logical conclusion is that you have received the goddess’ power. I suppose congratulations are in order.”

Edelgard felt her blood run cold at the way Byleth was looking at her. Her teacher loomed over her menacingly, eyes filled with hate.

“Congratulations?” Byleth growled, “Are you saying that her dying is worth being congratulated?!”

“Her?” Edelgard echoed, taking a step back. Byleth wasn’t making any sense. Before she could push further, Byleth fell to her knees, clutching her head. “Professor?!”

She rushed forward and caught her just in time to prevent her teacher from smashing to the ground.

“Professor? Have you… fallen asleep?!”

Indeed, her teacher sat still in her arms, save for the slow rise and fall of her chest. Her face was stained with tears and blood. 

“This anger and exhaustion… it must be a side effect of your recent changes. Hopefully you will return to normal once we are back at the Monastery.”

Sighing, Edelgard wiped her teacher’s face clean and hefted Byleth onto her back. “I can’t just leave you here, and asking Hubert to carry you would be inappropriate. I suppose the duty falls to me.”

* * *

“In time’s flow… see the glow of flames ever burning bright…” Byleth’s eyes fluttered open, stirred by the sound of a woman’s voice singing. She didn’t recognize the lyrics, but was surprised to find herself lying in Rhea’s lap. The archbishop had her eyes closed, sporting a somber smile whilst tears flowed down her face. They were in Rhea’s audience chamber, the room entirely vacant save for the two of them. Evening light poured in through the stained glass behind them as Rhea cradled Byleth’s head.

“On the swift river’s drift, broken memories alight…” Rhea continued, stroking Byleth’s hair as she sang. Shifting in Rhea’s lap, Byleth opened her eyes fully and stared up at Rhea. The archbishop stopped her singing and smiled down at her, her face stained from crying.

“Mother… you must remain still.”

Byleth frowned. “What?”

“Everything is alright, mother. There is no need to worry. Those who are trying to harm you are far away.”

Sitting up with a start, Byleth shook her head. “Rhea, why are you crying?”

Rhea looked surprised for a moment, then stared at her feet. “Since you are here, mother, that must mean Byleth is gone. My plan has come full circle. All I can ask is that you do not hate me for what I have done.”

Byleth shook her head, standing up completely. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m right here.”

Rhea’s eyes widened in shock. “...Byleth? How are you still here?”

“Explain what you meant first. What plan?”

Biting her lip, Rhea avoided Byleth’s stare. “Is my mother here?”

Byleth tensed, her eyes watering. “No. No she is not.”

“What do you-”

“Please, Rhea. I will explain everything, just… tell me what you mean.”

Rhea inspected Byleth for a long time, then sighed in resignation. “Very well. You are not the first attempt I made to house Sothis within a mortal. There were many attempts before you, but each one ended in failure. However, by a stroke of luck, your father, the very same man I had given my blood to in order to save him, fell in love with one of those vessels; your mother.”

Stiffening, Byleth sat down again, this time across from Rhea. She did her best to maintain a neutral expression, listening intently as Rhea pushed forward. “When you were born, your mother was dying and you were stillborn. I feared that my efforts would be for naught, but then your mother insisted that I save your life. I moved Sothis’ crest stone from her body to yours, saving your life.”

She grimaced. Her eyes were distant, staring off into the valley as the sun set behind the sprawling mountain range. “I was so excited. You felt like the culmination of all my hard work. However, Jeralt disappeared a few days later, assumedly with you in tow. It was not until you returned this past year that I felt any semblance of hope again.”

Byleth held up a hand, massaging her forehead with the other. “So, wait. You intentionally made me a vessel for Sothis, and my dad figured that out and ran off with me?”

Rhea shook her head. “I doubt Jeralt knew all the details. He probably held deep suspicions of me since I was the only one present when your mother died.”

“I see.”

The archbishop smiled nervously. “My intention was to have you serve as a vessel for my mother, the progenitor goddess. Now, please explain to me why you are wearing my mother’s regalia, as well as your new physical appearance.”

Inhaling deeply, Byleth suppressed a shudder and met Rhea’s eyes. The archbishop gasped at the depth of pain she saw there. “It was as you expected. The enemy had a trap prepared for Sothis and I. We thought we were ready, but we weren’t. I triggered the trap foolishly, letting both of us get transported to a shadowy dimension of nothingness.”

Byleth brought a hand to her face, startled to find that she was crying again. After so many years of emotionless reactions, Byleth felt like every day as of late brought a new reason to cry. “Sothis proposed a way of escaping. We needed the power of a goddess, and Sothis had no corporeal form. Therefore, she claimed that if our hearts and minds were one, we would be able to escape.”

Tightening her hand into a fist, she slammed it into the wall, shattering the concrete and splattering her blood against the broken stone. “What she felt unnecessary to tell me was that she would… that the process would take her from me.”

Rhea winced. “Do you mean to say…”

Byleth looked away. “Sothis is gone. She gave her life for mine.”

With a cry, Rhea collapsed on the floor. Tears poured from her eyes as she wailed, clutching herself tightly. Her entire form shuddered as she wept, and Byleth could hear shouting from outside the doors. No doubt Rhea had insisted that no one be allowed in the sanctum.

Sitting still so as to let Rhea weep, Byleth tried to keep her emotions in check. It had all felt so natural before, as if each feeling was a distant experience that was easy to ignore. Now, she felt like her head was a maelstrom of anger and sadness, two emotions she would have preferred living her entire life without experiencing.

After a while, Rhea pulled herself to her feet and collapsed next to Byleth, her head in her hands. “I think… the worst part of all of this, is that I cannot even be angry with you for this, Byleth. Is it safe to assume that you would have surrendered yourself to Sothis if she had explained the necessity of the situation in full? I can think of no other reason for why she would deceive you.”

Byleth nodded. “I would have. If I had another chance, I’d give everything up.”

She bit her lip, chuckling bitterly. “Sothis gave me all of this power, yet I am incapable of fixing the tragedies that plague me the most.”

Rhea leaned her head back against the wall, staring up at the ceiling. “For a long time, I experienced a similar feeling of guilt after the loss of my mother.”

Chuckling, she brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I suppose I never got rid of that guilt entirely.”

Frowning, Byleth glanced at her. “Why didn’t you tell Sothis any of this? You insisted on keeping it a secret, even from your own mother.”

Rhea tensed. “I had intended to bring you and Sothis to the Holy Tomb at the end of the moon, in hopes that being somewhere so familiar would allow her to absorb you fully.”

Byleth laughed. “Is it strange that I find myself perfectly calm as you describe the plans you enacted to kill me?”

“I suppose so,” Rhea said absently.

The two sat in silence, staring at a mural of the goddess on a pane of glass. It was incredibly stylized, but Byleth could still make out the form of Sothis.

“Hey, Rhea?”

“Yes, Byleth?”

“Let’s try it.”

Rhea turned, confused. “Try what?”

“I want to help you bring Sothis back. Completely, this time.”

The archbishop breathed in sharply and shot to her feet. “Byleth, that is not something to offer lightly. You would be giving up your life for a minute chance to bring back my mother, disrespecting her wishes. She was the one who insisted that you survive in the first place.”

“Well she was WRONG!” Byleth shouted, eyes downcast. “Just because she’s a goddess doesn’t mean she’s infallible, Rhea.”

Rhea said nothing for a time, staring down at Byleth as the professor shuddered with each ragged breath she drew in. Finally, Rhea sighed and adjusted her headpiece. “Very well, Byleth. I suppose this makes us partners in quite the heinous act. It is laughable, really, that the woman I had resigned to death would so eagerly spring to help me.”

Byleth snorted. “You said so yourself, Rhea. I would have been stillborn had you not made me a vessel. What better way to repay that debt than to ensure that Sothis is alive and well again?”

“I only wish I could have both of you by my side…” Rhea murmured, to quiet for Byleth to hear. Gathering herself, she straightened her back and assumed the role of archbishop once more.

“Well then, Professor, I have new orders for you. At the end of this moon, we shall reconvene along with your class in the Holy Tomb for the Goddess’ Rite of Rebirth.”

Byleth cocked an eyebrow at the name. “A bit on the nose, don’t you think?”

Rhea smiled sadly. “I have always had a flair for the dramatic.”

* * *

Pushing open the door to her room, Byleth slipped inside and collapsed on the floor. Her conversation with Rhea had run late, and she knew it was a bad idea, but she couldn’t help herself.

Curling up into a tight ball, Byleth screamed out a sob as loud as she could. Her entire body trembled from the effort, entirely unused to the intense feelings flooding into her.

She clawed at her head, pulling at her hair in a useless effort to cease the agony her mind was going through.

Through the night she heard a few knocks at her door and the sound of concerned voices, but failed to respond. The screaming in her mind was far too suffocating for her to function normally.

Byleth awoke on the floor the following morning, sunlight bathing the room in a golden hue. She groaned, pulling herself into a sitting position. Her fingers were raw. Glancing at the floor, she winced at the deep scratch marks.

A loud rapping at the door shook her from her stupor. She glanced at her reflection in the vanity mirror and winced. “Give me a second, please.”

“Take your time, my teacher.” Edelgard’s voice sounded through the door, her tone far more delicate than normal. Byleth sighed, brushing the loose hair out of her face and meeting the gaze of her reflection.

“Well, Byleth? What now?”

* * *

Humming to herself, Byleth tried to ignore the unusual impatience surging through her. It had been almost a full moon since her conversation with Rhea, and the only event to break up the bog of monotony was Edelgard’s request to accompany her to Enbarr. She had acquiesced, since Edelgard’s guidance and comfort was the only thing she had left.

_ “My teacher,” Edelgard said after a long period of riding in silence, “I worry about you lately.” _

_ Byleth knew why, of course. It was obvious. The passion she had previously displayed, albeit subdued, had vanished overnight. She still taught the students well, but her creativity had stagnated. Feigning a smile, Byleth shook her head. _

_ “Worried about what, Edelgard?” _

_ Seeming to notice the lack of authenticity in the smile, Edelgard winced. “You seem… distant. I had always intended on inviting you to my crowning, but I also wanted to take this opportunity to see if I could help.” _

_ Byleth dismissed her with a wave. “I’m fine, Edelgard. I appreciate the concern.” _

_ Edelgard bit her lip. “That is clearly not true, my teacher. What exactly happened in that abyss?” _

_ “I…” Byleth felt her pulse accelerate, her hand resting where a heart should exist. The absence of a heart made controlling her pulse difficult, but she’d learned in recent times how to use her breathing to slow the tempest. _

_ “I lost someone,” Byleth said slowly, “and I am unsure of what to do without them.” _

_ “Do you mean Jeralt?” Edelgard asked, confused. _

_ Byleth sighed. “You never met her. However, I think the two of you might have gotten along, ironically.” _

_ Edelgard tilted her head, smiling slightly. She was pleased by Byleth opening up, even if just a little. “A woman? Why would it be ironic to like a mutual companion? Clearly she has excellent taste if she had you as a friend.” _

_ Chuckling, Byleth folded her arms. “I don’t know about that, but she was pretty incredible. As for the irony… lets just say her very existence would prove troublesome to you.” _

The ceremony had been short, with far less fanfare than Byleth had expected from the coronation of the largest empire on the continent. Edelgard had later explained that the need for subtlety was important, in order to avoid the Prime Minister, now deposed, from taking action against her.

Just as Byleth’s impatience was threatening to overwhelm her, Rhea rounded the corner with Seteth in tow. Gesturing for her attendant to stay back for a moment, Rhea leaned in close to Byleth. “Are you truly sure of this, Byleth? You may never come back out from that tomb.”

Byleth smirked. “A fitting place for my life to end, if ever there was one.”

Rhea breathed in sharply but said nothing more, adopting her persona of archbishop once more. She moved to the other side of the room to await Byleth’s students, serene as always. Seteth, however, seemed unhappy with the private exchange. He stalked up to Byleth and pulled her away for a moment, albeit with Rhea’s gaze burning into them from afar.

“Professor, I have great concern about what has been happening lately. Lady Rhea refuses to tell me anything, but it is obvious to anyone who is paying attention that you two are hiding something. What is going on?” His voice was respectful but firm, their relationship growing far more friendly after Flayn’s rescue.

Byleth was surprised that Rhea had shared so little with Seteth, especially now that she knew Seteth was a Nabatean. She shrugged, glancing at Rhea, who shook her head slowly. “Sorry, Seteth, but I’m fairly sure you’ll know everything once tonight is over.”

Seteth groaned. “That is what Lady Rhea keeps insisting on. When did you two get so close?”

Byleth shrugged. “We just learned about how much we have in common.”

The awkward situation was mercifully interrupted by Byleth’s class streaming into the room with Edelgard at the front. “Here we are, my teacher.”

Byleth nodded at Edelgard, amused by how nervous the Emperor seemed to be. It was probably quite strange being a student at the academy while simultaneously being the Emperor of Adrestia. She made a mental note to give her less homework for the last month of school so she could focus on ruling.

_ If I survive, that is,  _ Byleth corrected herself. If Rhea’s plan succeeded, she wouldn’t need to worry about teaching anymore. 

Rhea guided them forward into the tomb, issuing a few orders to Seteth in order to ensure their security. Byleth felt sad, knowing that the one thing in life she’d managed to succeed at that wasn’t just merciless killing was about to disappear.

_ Maybe Sothis will be in an accommodating mood and teach in my stead,  _ Byleth thought, smiling to herself as the scene played out in her mind. The goddess reborn, teaching lessons to her students as casually as if she were a regular mortal. She giggled, relishing the moment. Edelgard stiffened next to her, staring in awe.

“Did you just… giggle, Professor?”

“Ah.” Byleth froze, straightening herself and returning to her neutral expression. “Sorry about that, I was lost in thought.”

“I see…” Edelgard said, frowning as they continued winding through the tunnels deep into the bowels of the monastery.

Flayn skipped up next to Byleth, smiling widely. “It is okay, Professor. I sometimes find myself giggling when I think of all the wondrous things I am destined to experience. Seeing the Holy Tomb is but one privilege amongst many I have enjoyed whilst being your student.”

Byleth smiled at her vibrant student. Even after knowing Flayn’s true identity, her outgoing and friendly personality made it easy to get along with her. If not for what was about to transpire, Byleth would insist on spending more time together.

They turned the corner into a bright room, illuminated by blue-green flames crackling within ancient brasiers. Her class gasped in awe at the expansive chamber underneath the monastery, the stone far older than that of the buildings above them. Edelgard inspected the room with narrowed eyes, nervousness forgotten in place of an emotion Byleth couldn’t recognize.

“Are you surprised, Professor?” Rhea said, “This is the Holy Tomb.”

“To think that there was such a vast space beneath the monastery all this time…” Edelgard murmured, the unrecognizable emotion nearly glowing in her eyes. Byleth blinked, realizing that she had seen that emotion before in Rhea’s eyes in her early days within the monastery. It was expectation. Edelgard was waiting for something to happen.

_ Does she know something?  _ Byleth wondered, eyes narrowed. Edelgard was atheist from what little Byleth had managed to glean during their discussions. The likelihood of her learning of the significance of these events was slim, let alone believing them to be true.

“It’s hard to imagine any of these enormous contraptions are of this world.” Edelgard said, eyeing the decrepit structures surrounding them.

Flayn chuckled nervously, trying and failing to look as shocked as the other students. Shaking her head, Byleth hoped Rhea could teach her a thing or two about deception afterwards.

Byleth shoved her concerns with Edelgard and Flayn aside as Rhea stepped forward, gesturing for her to follow. “This is where the goddess who created this world was laid to rest, along with her children.”

Rhea turned, her expression stiff as she nodded to the enormous throne in the center of the room. “It is said that our creator, the goddess Sothis, sat upon this very throne.”

She winked subtly at Byleth. “I assume you recognize this throne?”

How could she not? Sothis had sat upon it so many times before. The throne was present when she was… taken from her. The site of the seat sent shivers down Byleth’s back. “I do.”

“Very well. Sit upon the throne. I have no doubt you will be gifted with a revelation from the goddess.”

Byleth was impressed. Despite the fact that both of them knew what was about to happen, she played her role so masterfully that Byleth didn’t even have to lie. Her acting was impeccable.

She hesitated, staring up at the monumental throne. The seat was tremendous, no doubt perfectly suited for Sothis’ true form. Sothis had attempted to sit in a standard chair next to her during their last few weeks together, but the legs shattered beneath her. She had blustered and shouted about never telling anyone about what had happened, and Byleth had invented an excuse as to why her spare chair was out of commission when Edelgard came to visit later that day.

_ For Sothis,  _ Byleth thought firmly, stepping onto the dais and seating herself in the sizable throne. She had never so much as touched it in the dreams she had shared with Sothis. It felt cold to the touch, the rough stone digging into her as she sat.

_ How does Sothis get comfortable on this thing? _

She sat for a time, staring down at Rhea expectantly. The archbishop stared back at her, confused and impatient.

“Well?” Rhea asked.

Byleth shook her head.  _ Why isn’t it working!? _

“It was supposed to be but a step away… I am sorry, Byleth. I do not think-”

A voice cut through the air, startling Byleth and Rhea out of their deliberation. “Stop right there!”

Edelgard stood at the base of the throne, glaring at Rhea with open malice. A legion of imperial soldiers filed in behind her, standing at attention. A sinister man with brown hair stepped forward next to Edelgard, his imperial regalia suggesting a man of high rank. “Don’t move, any of you! If you move, your lives will be forfeit! Thank you ever so much for guiding us this far. The Imperial Army will now take possession of everything in the Holy Tomb!”

“What?!” Byleth and Rhea shouted in unison. Byleth leapt from the throne, landing next to Rhea with a thud. She wrapped her hand around the hilt of her sword, glaring at the newcomers. This tomb belonged to Sothis. What right did they have to claim anything within these walls?

Her class murmured in confusion, exchanging looks of shock as Hubert stepped from their ranks to stand next to Edelgard. Flayn looked stunned, trembling in fear.

_ She’s probably remembering Zanado,  _ Byleth thought grimly.

“What’s the Imperial Army doing here?!” Dorothea said, eyes wide.

Ferdinand looked suspicious, stepping forward to protect the rest of the class with an outstretched hand. “Wait! Does he work for the Flame Emperor?”

Trembling, Bernadetta peered out from behind Ferdinand. “Edelgard… Did you know about this?”

Edelgard stared at her class for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. In fact, I gave the order. I am the Flame Emperor.”

Byleth felt her blood run cold. The Flame Emperor, a dangerous masked murderer in league with the likes of Solon and Kronya, the pair responsible for taking Jeralt and Sothis from her. She trembled with barely contained rage, drawing the Sword of the Creator from its sheath. Rhea eyed her, then glared at Edelgard with a stare that could melt steel.

“What is the meaning of this insolence? You will atone for the sin of trampling on this holy resting place! Professor. Destroy these villainous traitors who dare dishonor our creator!”

Nodding, Byleth stepped forward, the sword in her hand humming to life. Edelgard grimaced, her hand wrapping around the axe at her waist.

“Wait!” Caspar cried out, stepping forward. “What’s the meaning of this, Edelgard?”

“You… made use of us? Why?” Petra asked, eyes trembling slightly as if she’d been slapped.

“I… I’m sorry, my teacher. I cut this path, and now I must follow it.” Edelgard said firmly. “My friends… I ask that all of you stay back! It is not my intention to fight you.”

Stepping back into her soldiers, she donned her Flame Emperor armor. “By order of the Adrestian emperor, Edelgard von Hresvelg… I command you to collect the Crest Stones! If anyone attempts to stop us… kill them.”

“No,” Byleth said, voice cold. She strode forward, lashing her sword out at the Imperial soldiers at the front. They cried out, charging forward with spears outstretched.

Twisting her grip, the tip of her sword curved around the spearhead of the closest soldier, yanking the polearm from his grasp. She caught it with her free hand, hurling it into the stomach of another spearman right as he was about to strike. Shaking themselves from their stupor, Byleth’s class charged forward behind her, meeting the line of Imperial soldiers.

Rhea stepped up next to Byleth, her hands glowing with holy fire. “I will not allow such violence from the Empire! Let us strike these rebels down together, Byleth!”

A chilling roar tore through the air, causing the ground to tremble. Two enormous demonic beasts lumbered forward, bearing down on Byleth and Rhea.

“Don’t forget me!” Flayn cried, stepping in front of them. Byleth’s eyes widened and Rhea gasped.

“Flayn, get out of the way! You will only get hurt, my child,” Rhea said firmly.

Shaking her head, Flayn glowed green as magic surged from her fingertips, blasting back the two beasts as if they weighed nothing.

“Wait a second,” Linhardt said, stepping forward. “That was Excalibur you just casted. How could you possibly…”

“It doesn’t matter,” Byleth said curtly. “She’s an ally and we don’t have the time to discuss your theories right now.”

Linhardt’s eyes widened at the harsh tone Byleth used, but he eventually nodded and sighed, moving back to the others in order to heal a wounded Caspar. Flayn smiled widely at Byleth.

“Thank you for defending me, Professor. Lady Rhea insisted that I could trust you, and I wanted to show you what I could really do.”

Byleth nodded. “Thank you. Your powers will help swing this battle. Rhea, is it okay if I give the orders?”

Rhea smiled knowingly. “Of course, Byleth. Back in the day, Seteth was the one who commanded our troops, along with Indech. I was… indisposed at the time. Are you sure you are of a sound mind to command?”

Byleth flashed her a look. “I’m fine. I learned my lesson last time I pursued revenge out of anger. However, leave Edelgard to me.”

Flayn’s eyes bulged as Rhea shared vital secrets with Byleth so casually, then she grinned. “I suppose Lady Rhea was not joking when she said you were trustworthy, Professor. Let us show these jerks who is boss!”

Barking out a few quick orders to her class to stabilize the line, Byleth charged towards the two demonic beasts. Flayn and Rhea dashed alongside her, hands glowing with magic as they blasted incoming soldiers aside. Sliding to a stop just in time to avoid a savage swipe from one of the beasts, she slashed it across the snout with her sword.

“Flayn, give me a boost!” Byleth shouted. Flayn snapped her fingers, warping Byleth above the demonic creature. Using the momentum from the warp, Byleth twisted her body sharply into a vicious turn, her sword curving around the edges. The blade sliced through the flesh of the monster with ease, cutting it to pieces. Roaring with anger, the other beast charged at Byleth. Rhea stepped in front of the creature, blasting it with holy light and knocking it to the side.

A squad of soldiers charged Rhea from the side, crying out in protest. Byleth turned on her heels, intent on intercepting them, but Rhea beat her to it. She stepped forward, blasting a few of the soldiers away with holy magic. Two of the spearmen made it past her barrage, thrusting their spears forward at her. Leaping over the strikes, Rhea landed softly behind them. She punched them both in the jaw with her palms, her form impeccable as she incapacitated the two soldiers. Byleth gaped at her as Flayn strode up, giggling.

“Did you think Lady Rhea helpless in close quarters combat, Professor? She is a fearsome combatant in more ways than one!”

“Remind me to ask her for a lesson or two after this is over, Flayn.”

The trio returned their focus to the last remaining beast. It groaned, pulling itself to its feet as it recuperated from Rhea’s blast. Not willing to let it recover, Byleth darted forward and sliced it across the side. Ichor spurted from the wound, coasting Byleth’s sword. Flayn stepped up behind her, unleashing her magic directly into the beast’s stomach. It exploded in a shower of ichor and holy particles.

“Euch. It got on my robes, Professor!” Flayn said in disgust, trying to shake off some of the blood.

“For a stunt like that, you get first turn in the bath-house later.”

Flayn jumped up and down gleefully, eyes alight with excitement. “Thank you so much, Professor!”

Smiling at her, Byleth turned her gaze back to the battle at hand. Her eyes met with Edelgard and the smile slipped from her face, replaced with a menacing glower. Edelgard met her glare, lifting her chin up at her imperiously.

“Professor, I will make no excuses. Thank you for all that you did for me. In truth... No. Let us leave it at that. Come, we shall finish this.”

Byleth snarled. “You lost the right to call me Professor the moment you took them from me.”

Edelgard frowned, readying herself for the fast approaching professor. “‘Them’?”

Without bothering to respond, Byleth hurled herself at Edelgard. Flayn and Rhea made quick work of any soldiers that tried to stop her, clearing a path directly to the Emperor. Her sword met the heavy steel of an axe as Byleth locked her weapon with Edelgard’s, her eyes seeped in hate. Edelgard blinked, surprised by the depths of hatred she found there.

“I thought of you as an ally, you know. There were so many times I wanted to reveal everything to you. It is my own folly that has lead us to this point.”

Byleth grit her teeth, yanking her sword away from their lock. She swung the tip forward in an arc, using the momentum to knock Edelgard off balance. “Shut up! I don’t want to hear anything more from you! I trusted you. Everyone trusted you! You don’t deserve to wear that crown!”

Edelgard rolled out of the way as Byleth’s blade clattered against the tiles where she had laid moments before. She staggered to her feet, readying for Byleth’s next strike. “You are right, Professor. There are plenty of people who should be wearing this crown. But none of them were able to step forward. Why? Because all of them were killed. The responsibility fell to me, and I will see it through, whether you support me or not.”

Snatching a hand axe, she hurled it at Byleth. The tip of the blade grazed against Byleth’s cheek, slicing it open. Ignoring the wound, Byleth stepped forward quickly, disarming Edelgard and slamming the butt of her sword against her helmet. Edelgard gasped, collapsing and clutching her head as the metal vibrated from the strike. Byleth held the tip of her blade underneath Edelgard’s chin, lifting her face up to meet her gaze.

“So the end has come…” Edelgard murmured, gaze unflinching as she met Byleth’s.

Rhea stepped up next to her, glaring down at Edelgard. Byleth’s class funneled in behind her, murmuring to themselves as Edelgard sat before them, defeated.

“You have disappointed me, Edelgard. To think that a descendant of House Hresvelg would dare betray the holy church…” Rhea said, fists clenched.

“So it is my teacher who stands in my way. I always knew it would come to this…” Edelgard said, staring at Byleth. Her words held anger, but her gaze betrayed how distraught she was. Byleth ignored the desire to comfort her student. Edelgard had long forsaken her position as her student. She kicked Edelgard to the floor, pulling her sword back to take Edelgard at the neck.

“Professor?” Rhea asked, surprised.

“Wait, don’t do it!” Dorothea cried out, rushing up to Byleth. The other students followed suit, standing in front of their teacher with their arms outstretched.

Petra stared Byleth down, hands on her hips. “We still are not of the understanding as to why Edelgard did all of this.”

Nodding furiously, Caspar thumped his chest. “Yea, teach! Who knows, maybe someone was forcing her or using some kinda crazy magic?”

Linhardt shook his head. “Edelgard is exercising far too much control over her faculties to be under the influence of magic. That does not mean she should be executed without a trial. We need to figure out what is going on.”

Byleth shook her head. “Move. She’s a killer. You saw Remire. Not to mention she is associated with Solon and Kronya.”

“You don’t know that!” Dorothea objected, her gaze firm.

While her class argued with her, Hubert slipped out of the shadows and grasped Edelgard by the arm. “We must escape, my lady.”

“No!” Byleth cried out, shoving Dorothea aside and lashing out with her sword. Edelgard glanced at her one last time before vanishing along with Hubert.

Cursing, Byleth sheathed her sword and turned to Rhea. The archbishop looked thoughtful. “I do not know why she has decided to make the church her enemy, but she will pay dearly for this transgression. Let us return to the surface, Byleth, so that we may plan our next move.”

* * *

Seteth pursed his lips, inspecting the throng of students thoughtfully. All three classes were called to attend due to the severity of the situation.

“Edelgard von Hresvelg and Hubert von Vestra have disappeared after the altercation within the Holy Tomb. They will surely return to the Empire.”

The students gasped, murmurs and whispers darting amongst them. Dimitri was trembling with unbridled rage, the knightly look he usually adopted forgotten in favor of absolute hatred. Ingrid and Sylvain stood at his side, trying their best to calm him down. Claude was pensive, biting his thumb and inspecting Seteth expectantly, waiting to hear more.

Byleth stood off to the side, arms folded and gaze dark as she observed the students. She caught Dorothea staring at her and met her gaze. The songstress promptly turned her head to avoid her.

“The knights have been dispatched to search and investigate.” Seteth continued, gaze sweeping over the confused classes to silence them. “If there is any movement, we will know. We cannot ignore the possibility that there will soon be open hostilities between us and the Imperial army.”

More murmurs and shouts sounded from the crowd of students. Seteth gestured the Black Eagles forward, gaze stern. “When that happens, are you prepared to fight your own?”

Ferdinand was the first to step forward, his gaze hesitant. He stamped his foot as if to reaffirm his resolve, then met Seteth’s stare. “If Edelgard is acting afoul, then we have no choice but to strike her down. It is my duty as future Prime Minister to object to her actions should she err, and this seems to be a grave mistake indeed.”

Dorothea looked conflicted, biting her lip. “Is there truly no other way? Maybe if we attempted to open diplomatic channels with Edelgard…”

Seteth shook his head. “We have already tried. Every attempt has been met with fierce rejection.”

The songstress sighed, pinching her brow. “Sorry, Edie, but you’re not really giving me much of a choice here. I’ll side with the Professor.” She shot Byleth a pointed stare before moving to stand beside Ferdinand.

Several of the other Black Eagles murmured their agreement as Bernadetta and Linhardt stepped up beside Dorothea. Petra looked confused, glancing between her classmates and Seteth. “My loyalty is belonging to my home country. I must think in their best interests. That being said, I am not sure I am agreeing… no, in agreement with Edelgard. Making enemies of the church and the world strikes me as a fool.”

Caspar nodded affirmatively. “My family will surely support Edelgard, but I don’t like the people she’s working with. Edelgard never saw fit to fill any of us in, so I have to work with what I know.”

Seteth nodded in appreciation. “I am sure you all have much on your mind. I encourage you to confer with your professor and make a decision. You have until the fighting commences.”

Byleth moved to join her class, bowing to Seteth. He gave her a knowing look. “Professor… I am depending on your strength for the safety of Fodlan.”

As Seteth moved to dismiss the rest of the students, Byleth pulled her class aside. “Alright, everyone. I need to see where all of you are at before we can move forward.”

The Black Eagles glanced between each other, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Dorothea was the one to step forward, her hands clasped tensely together as she met Byleth’s confused stare.

“Your actions as of late have left all of us feeling… less than certain, Professor. We all adore you and owe you a lot, but you haven’t felt like the same person you used to be.”

Byleth blinked in surprise. Dorothea’s gaze was firm, clearly backed by the support of her fellow classmates. A quick scan of her student’s faces confirmed it and she breathed a sigh.

“Is it so unusual that I should change following the death of my father and the betrayal of my star pupil?”

Dorothea shook her head firmly. “We aren’t blind, Professor. Edelgard meant more to you than just another student. Please, Professor, be honest with us. We can’t know for sure what is the right choice if you remain obstinate.”

The rest of the Black Eagles nodded in agreement, Petra in particular stepping up next to Dorothea and resting a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

“Alright, you got me. This is going to take a lot of explaining, and most of it will sound beyond reason. However, I am on your side first and foremost. Remember that.”

As Byleth began explaining the strange circumstances that made up her past year, the expressions on the students rapidly shifted from tense expectation to awe. She embellished where it was necessary and avoided directly referencing Rhea’s ancestry, her time powers, or the existence of the Nabateans. Respecting the privacy of Seteth, Flayn, and Rhea felt important. Additionally, she preferred to keep her powers a secret, even from her allies. No sense giving them false courage so as to become reckless.

Byleth wrapped up the story with her perspective from the forest with Kronya, sighing deeply. “So, yes, the betrayal from Edelgard came as a bit sharper than it may have for the rest of you. I will admit my anger got the best of me.”

Dorothea looked absolutely heartbroken. Any suspicion her students had held previously had flown out the window. “Professor…”

Byleth blinked and folded her arms. “You all believed that quite easily. I’m surprised.”

Linhardt smirked, rolling his eyes and nudging Caspar out of his gaping stupor. “Professor, I watched you tear a hole in the fabric of reality and defeat two demonic beasts as if they were angry chickens loose in a coop. Honestly, this explains more than I could have imagined.”

He yawned, then rubbed his hands together and smiled. “Think of all the research possibilities.”

Byleth bowed politely. “Another time, Linhardt.”

Swapping her gaze to the rest of the students, she couldn’t help but break out into a wild smile when she met the compassionate stares of her precious wards. “Thank you, everyone. I promise to protect you, no matter what your decision may be.”

All of them glanced at each other, exchanging grins and a few chuckles. As a single class, they nodded their acceptance. Ferdinand thumped his chest and stood at attention, pride sparkling in his eyes. “We are with you to the end, Professor!”

* * *

Byleth leaned against the wall of her father’s office, sighing to herself and trying not to think too much about where she was. Her father had insisted that she come here in case something happened to him, but she hadn’t really found anything of note. She walked over to the desk, tracing a finger across the top. It was incredibly dusty, and her finger came back dark with filth. She frowned, confused as to why her father’s office had been neglected. Seteth was a perfectionist when it came to keeping the monastery clean, especially the upper levels near Rhea’s chambers.

“Ahem,” Seteth cleared his throat to announce his presence, standing just outside the door frame. Byleth raised an eyebrow, then waved her hand in approval for him to enter.

“Forgive my intrusion, Professor. I am sure you have much on your mind. However, I felt it important to be honest with you.”

He handed her a leather-bound journal and a small satchel. Byleth took the offerings, inspecting them curiously. She opened the book, eyes widening when she saw her father’s familiar scrawl across the pages.

“Why do you have this?”

Seteth frowned. “I found it when I was cleaning Jeralt’s room after I felt sufficient time had passed for you to take what was important. This journal, as well as that package, were tucked away in a corner. It felt improper to leave it for one of the staff to find, so I held onto it for you.”

Byleth folded her arms. “Did you read it?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” Byleth was surprised at such a forthwith answer. “I expected you to lie, honestly.”

He pulled up a chair, sitting down and leaning back. His face was weary with exhaustion, almost certainly preoccupied with the evacuation efforts. The Imperial Army was en route to Garreg Mach, and Seteth was running around frantically in a valiant attempt to prepare their defenses.

“After everything you have done, Professor, it would be a disservice to lie to you. I will be honest, many of the things I read in that book were deeply troubling. Have you read it yet?”

Byleth shook her head. “I was too distracted. My father told me he left something, but I never took the time to look until now. It… it was still too fresh.”

Seteth pursed his lips. He looked conflicted, his eyes darting back and forth as if he suspected someone to leap at him from behind. “I… have concerns over what Lady Rhea did to you. Jeralt details his mistrust of the archbishop, as well as other information about your past.”

Arching an eyebrow, Byleth leafed through a few pages and scanned the contents. “Ah, so it does.”

“Are you not bothered by what is written there, Professor? Lady Rhea did something to you so extreme that it shook Jeralt’s faith in her enough to fake your death. That is not something to be taken lightly.”

“I already knew.”

Seteth froze, his mouth agape. “W-what? You knew? But how could you possibly have known? You said yourself that you did not read the journal, and during previous discussions you disclosed how little you know of yourself.”

Byleth nodded, smiling slightly as she recalled the simpler days at the beginning of the year. “A fair point. Ah,” Byleth said, finding the date of her birth that had managed to elude her until now, “so I am twenty one years of age. How interesting.”

“Forgive me, Professor, but I have concerns over your nonchalant attitude. Is everything alright?”

She stiffened, shutting the book and setting it on the desk. “No, Seteth, I am not alright. Due to being a vessel for the goddess, I spent most of my life closed off to my own emotions. Now that I’ve merged with her, all I feel is grief and anger.”

Byleth bit her lip, her nails digging into the skin of her arms. Blood dripped against the dusty floors of her father’s study, trickling from her fingertips. “I think I preferred the days when I was akin to a corpse.”

Surprisingly, Seteth did not react at first. Rather than trying to calm Byleth down, he simply tugged at his beard and pressed his lips together. Brushing away some dust on the floor with his foot, Seteth sat cross legged opposite Byleth and offered for her to sit as well. She complied, her eyes narrowed.

“Professor Byleth, this may come as a shock to you, but I can empathize with what you are going through. Frankly, Lady Rhea could as well, although I worry that her personal biases might make her a poor confidant.”

Chuckling, Byleth set her head against the creaky wood of her father’s desk, idly tracing shapes in the dust. “You know, Seteth, when I learned that you and Flayn were secretly dragons, at the time I was really taken aback. It felt monumental, completely shaking my understanding of what was real. Now… heh, I probably wouldn’t be surprised if you told me that you were fucking Rhea in the classrooms after dark.”

Seteth flushed, coughing and spluttering with embarrassment. Smoothing his hair and breathing in sharply, he met Byleth’s stare once more. “I can assure you that is not the case. More importantly, how did you learn of Flayn and I’s identities?”

Byleth snorted. “Well, firstly, you’re both horrific liars. But that hardly matters much because Rhea told me everything.”

“She WHAT?”

“To be fair, it was a pretty emotional moment. She had broken down after I revealed that I could see Sothis. I wasn’t able to ask a lot of questions at the time because I was ferrying Sothis’ messages to her.”

“Y-you can see the progenitor goddess? Is she here now?”

Byleth shook her head, staring past Seteth with a vacant expression. “I lost her in the Sealed Forest when I idiotically fell for the enemy’s trap.”

“Ah. Were you and the progenitor goddess-”

“We were close. Let's leave it at that.” She chuckled bitterly. “Wouldn’t want me be convicted of heresy against the church, now would we?”

“I see.”

Seteth and Byleth sat in silence, Byleth staring out the sole window of the office while Seteth tugged at his beard contemplatively. The quiet seemed to stretch for hours, the room somehow remaining undisturbed despite the bustle of activity outside. At last Seteth broke the silence, rising to his feet and dusting himself off.

“Were you aware that I lost my wife, Professor?”

Byleth nodded. “Rhea told me, or rather Sothis, in passing. I don’t know the details, though.”

“She was splendid to behold in battle. I suspect that even Catherine would fail to best her in one on one combat if she had survived until today. I lost her in the war against Nemesis and his cohorts in a bout of stupidity.” He winced as he recalled the memory but pressed forward. “During the fight, I let my anger at the horrific crimes the enemy had committed get the best of me. In my rage, I didn’t notice a volley of arrows aimed directly at me until it was too late. My wife, however, was always the more perceptive one.”

The way Seteth went stiff at the thought of his late wife struck a chord with Byleth. “I guess we’ve both lost people, huh? And to think, the war hasn’t even begun yet.”

Seteth steadied his breathing, sucking in sharp gasps and exhaling through his nostrils. “Yes, we have. So let us work together to ensure that we do not lose anyone else.”

He bowed to Byleth, then turned and exited the room.

“Hey, Seteth!” Byleth called after him. Seteth poked his head back from around the corner, intrigued.

“Yes, Professor?”

“I’ll protect Flayn with everything I have, so you don’t need to worry.”

Seteth’s smile deepened. “Coming from you, Professor, that is the most reassuring thing I have heard in moons.”

* * *

The day was eerily calm. Most of the town surrounding Garreg Mach had been evacuated in light of the ensuing conflict. Normally bustling with people and students, the grounds of the monastery were quiet and still. Byleth practiced with a few training dummies in the yard, smashing them to pieces with each of her strikes. She winced and pulled a large splinter from her palm, licking the wound clean and healing it with her magic.

Across the courtyard, the young Dimitri was equally energetic, although his motivation seemed to come from pure rage. Byleth frowned as she watched him rave at one of the dummies, slicing it down the middle with a crazed look in his eyes. If not for her students, she would have become something like that. She still worried how she would handle fighting against Edelgard again. Biting her lip, she tried to force away the images of her last fight, but they persisted. 

_ The way she looked at me,  _ Byleth thought, shuddering. She sheathed her sword and approached Dimitri from across the yard. After feeling such overwhelming rage, she thought she could help calm Dimitri down, as her students had for her. Before she reached him, Alois approached her from behind.

“Professor, the Imperial Army is here. We need you in the main hall with the troops. Your students are already waiting.”

Byleth nodded, casting one last glance at the deranged prince before following Alois. Seteth, Rhea, and Flayn were on the far end of the hall, whispering to each other and gesturing emphatically. Seteth looked immensely displeased with whatever they were talking about. 

Spying her students, she mustered a reassuring grin. Alois cleared his throat, gaining the attention of everyone in the hall. “Listen up, everyone! The Imperial army is upon us. If you can fight, pick up a weapon! Everyone else, hurry up and evacuate! We have the goddess’ protection on our side. We have nothing to fear. Victory will be ours!”

Flinching at the mention of the goddess, Byleth’s grip on the Sword of the Creator tightened.  _ Sothis, I will bring you back, I promise,  _ Byleth thought firmly.

She felt a vague sense of disappointment wash over her, but before she could decipher why, Catherine strode up to her and slapped her on the back.

“Professor. Are you ready?”

Nodding to the imposing knight, she gestured to her students. “Almost.”

Catherine tapped her foot impatiently. “Well, hurry up. I don’t need to tell you that the situation is dire. We have some support troops from the local nobles, but the army we’re facing is immense. No matter how you look at it, we’re at a disadvantage.”

Byleth frowned. “I understand your point, Catherine, but there is no need to discourage the troops. My students especially are experiencing large scale war for the first time.”

“You’re right. However, these soldiers need to know what they’re getting into. On top of it all, the enemy is being led by Edelgard. You know well how extraordinary she is. Your ‘star pupil’ from what I’ve heard.”

Biting her lip, Byleth tried to keep calm. “Yes, I am aware.”

Her students nodded in agreement, giving Catherine fierce stares. Byleth had not failed to notice the looks the other soldiers were giving the Black Eagles. The sight of Imperial citizens amongst them must feel odd. She could only hope that they proved their loyalty in the upcoming battle.

Linhardt stepped forward, eyes level with Catherine. “Of course we know, but we can’t let her get away. Also, please cease your unwarranted glaring. We don’t deserve your judgement.”

Byleth’s eyes widened at the bold display from Linhardt. She noticed several of the troops stiffen behind Linhardt and grinned. Her students had grown a lot while she was distracted.

Ferdinand followed Linhardt’s lead, his face full of conviction. “My father was removed from his role as prime minister and is still under house arrest in the Imperial capital. As his successor… it is my duty to make Edelgard see reason!”

Caspar nodded along. “I agree with a lot of what Edelgard has said, but she’s going about it all wrong. It’s up to us to help her realize that!”

Brushing her hair out of her face, a telltale nervous gesture for the songstress, Dorothea frowned. “Edie’s going to come at us with all she’s got. And that’s a lot. That means we need to fight her with all of our might too.”

Almost too quietly for Byleth to hear, Dorothea muttered, “Hopefully I get a chance to talk some sense into her personally.”

Byleth made a mental note to keep an eye on Dorothea during the battle, then nodded gratefully to her class. Their steadfast belief in Byleth had helped her push past the darker moments, and she was proud to be called their Professor.

Catherine met the stares of the class evenly, then burst out laughing. “You students really have guts, don’t you? Though, I suppose I can’t call you students anymore. You’re now part of our order. You have our support and our gratitude.”

The entire hall seemed to relax. Byleth narrowed her eyes at the veteran knight. Had she started an argument intentionally, to help relieve some of the troops of their concerns? Giving her a big grin, Catherine nodded firmly to Byleth.

“Professor, I’m counting on you. Go ahead and take the lead.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. “You’re not going to lead our forces?”

Rhea stepped forward, serene smile locked in place. Seteth followed quickly behind, gaze downcast. He seemed distraught, but Byleth couldn’t figure out why.

“I can explain that, Professor,” Rhea said smoothly. “Your performances in the multiple battles leading up to this conflict were impeccable. Not to mention you are blessed by the goddess and wield the strongest hero’s relic of all. Additionally, you have shown your willingness to fight against Edelgard, so you are a trustworthy ally.”

She drew to her full height, her smile widening. “Also, I shall be joining you on the battlefield.”

_ Ah, that would explain why Seteth is so upset. _

Byleth nodded, turning to her class. “Is everyone ready?”

* * *

Gazing out at the seemingly endless swath of Imperial soldiers, Byleth didn’t feel a thing. Her students, however, looked overwhelmed. Flashing them a reassuring smile, she stepped forward next to Rhea. A knight of Seiros came charging up the hill, panting heavily. “I have a report! The enemy is within the walls. They’re about to break the defensive line!”

Seteth stepped forward, amplifying his voice with magic. “Knights, soldiers, students! Defend the front line and the archbishop with your lives until help arrives! Reinforcements are on the way! Hold fast!”

The troops roared as one, charging forward to protect the stairs leading into the monastery. Almost immediately, a group of Imperial Pegasus riders came surging over the walls, soaring right towards Byleth. She swiped one of them out of the air with her sword, then ducked in time to avoid a blast of wind from Flayn. It bowled two of the riders off their steeds, a sickening crunch following their collision with the ground.

Byleth gestured for her students to cover the left and right flanks, pushing down the middle with Flayn and Dorothea in tow. “Ferdinand, Petra, you two have command over your respective flanks.”

The two students beamed with pride, then charged off with their classmates to cover the line. Byleth rounded the corner, nearly bumping into a group of soldiers. Dorothea and Flayn wove a ball of fire together, smashing it into the enemy. Cleaning up the stragglers, Byleth paused to catch her breath. She shaded her eyes, the glare of the sun high overhead, and observed the scene critically. A horde of soldiers were surging towards her position, flanked by enormous winged demonic beasts. Catherine had joined the students on the right flank along with Shamir, carving up soldiers left and right. Seteth had taken the front on the left with Alois backing him up. Petra sliced down an archer just before he volleyed a shot at Seteth, darting forward to intercept a squadron of Imperial mages. A few airs whizzed over Byleth’s head, striking one of the demonic beasts in the eyes. It roared in agony and collapsed on some of the soldiers.

Byleth grinned at the squeak of satisfaction from Bernadetta behind her. Her grin vanished when she locked eyes with Edelgard, barking orders to her troops in full Imperial regalia. Her eyes narrowed and she launched a blast of holy magic at her. The magic was snapped out of the sky by one of the enemy mages and she snarled. Before she could make a dash for Edelgard, however, the imposing figure of the Death Knight trotted up to intercept her.

“ _ You _ .” Byleth spat, lunging for the armored man. He blocked her slash with his scythe, blasting Byleth backwards with a heavy slice. Flayn ran up, panting slightly. She had a light wound on her left arm but was otherwise unharmed. She spied the Death Knight and hissed.

“You are the one who took me! I will make you pay for that.”

The Death Knight chuckled. “Run along, little girl. I have a far more interesting battle to attend to.”

Ignoring his taunt, Flayn pulled on her magic. An enormous ball of light formed in front of her, and she tossed it into the air. Byleth’s eyes widened as the ball came crashing down as a pillar of light on top of the death knight. It was the same magic Byleth had used against Solon, albeit to a lesser degree. Nevertheless, it got the job done. The Death Knight howled in agony, slumping slightly in the saddle. His voice was ragged as he coughed out a final remark before riding away.

Flayn pushed out her chest, huffing proudly. “I am certain that will be the last time he underestimates me. Do you not agree, Professor?”

Byleth chuckled. “Flayn, you continue to surprise me. I am so happy you joined my class.”

Blushing, Flayn healed the wound on Byleth’s cheek and glanced towards Edelgard. “Lady Rhea warned me to keep an eye on you, in case you lost your cool and went after her.”

“That was quite cautious of her. She gave you the job instead of your brother?”

Flayn grinned. “There are a few people who appreciate my worth, and Lady Rhea is amongst them!”

“Consider me another one, as well.”

Dorothea cleared her throat behind them. She’d finished up dealing with the Imperial soldiers that had attacked their flank and seemed thoroughly unamused. “While this moment is very touching, we need to figure out how to deal with Edelgard. Her guard is enormous, and Hubert is certainly somewhere nearby.”

She frowned. “Seeing that magic Flayn just cast reminds me. Professor, do you remember that attack you used against Solon in the Sealed Forest? Could you do that again here?”

Byleth shook her head. “I haven’t tried it since that day. Even now I’m not really sure how I did it.”

Flayn clapped her hands together excitedly. “Oh! Oh! What if I helped you cast it? Do you know how to twin cast, Professor?”

“I do.”

“Then I could start the spell, and you could help me channel it. Ideally, your magic will take over and recreate what happened with Solon.”

Byleth grinned. “You’re quite the intelligent girl, Flayn. Let's do it.”

Once more, Flayn formed the sphere of holy light. Byleth closed her eyes and held out her hands, reaching out with her mind to connect with Flayn. She felt a tug in her gut, and all of a sudden the ball was gone. Flayn’s eyes went wide. “Professor, did you just-”

An enormous beam of light shot forth from Byleth’s outstretched palms, blasting the ranks of the enemy apart. It charred the ground underneath, nearly colliding with Edelgard herself. The Emperor’s eyes went wide and she moved to shield herself, but a last minute barrier from Hubert stopped the attack short. The dark mage slumped from the force of the strike and Byleth heard Edelgard bark an order to a nearby soldier. She watched as Hubert was carried off the field, his eyes closed.

“Quick, we need to move! They won’t be disoriented for long.” Byleth dashed forward, eyes widening as she felt her pace magically quicken. Flayn sighed, slumping slightly. Dorothea reached out and caught her, glancing towards Byleth.

“She must have exhausted herself from all the casting. Go! I’ll take her back to the others to get healed.”

Byleth nodded, not even slowing her stride as she left the two girls behind. Edelgard stared down at Byleth from her vantage point, emotions masked from years of practice. “So, you have come, my teacher.”

A large female general in full plate stepped up in front of Edelgard, hand stretched out protectively. “Stay back, your majesty. I will handle her for you.”

Edelgard shook her head. “No, General. She and I need to settle things. Direct the troops in my stead. If anything happens, you know what to do.”

The large woman hesitated, then nodded and strode away. Byleth smirked, tapping her sword against her hip. “Quite the loyal entourage you have, Edelgard. A shame they can’t see you for who you really are.”

“And who am I, my teacher?”

Byleth snorted. “If I have to be the one to tell you, you’re already beyond salvation. And I thought I said you weren’t allowed to call me that anymore.”

Edelgard smiled sadly. “Whatever we may be now, you will always be my teacher.”

Before she could respond, Edelgard charged forward. Her axe blow nearly took Byleth at the neck as she dodged out of the way. Byleth was impressed by how much stronger Edelgard had become in only one moon.

_ She always was your star student,  _ a part of her mind whispered to her. She growled, sidestepping Edelgard’s next strike and tripping the girl up with the tip of her sword. Edelgard stumbled backwards but utilized the momentum of the fall to hurl a hand axe. It caught Byleth in the chest, sticking in one of her ribs. 

Byleth grit her teeth and tore the axe from the wound, flashing a quick heal spell. Edelgard chuckled, pulling herself to her feet. “You’ve gotten sloppier, my teacher. Or perhaps, I’ve simply become that much stronger. Either way, you will need to do better than that to stop me.”

Time froze as the telltale sound of shattered glass rang in Byleth’s ears. She steadied her breathing, then resumed time. As Edelgard’s handaxe came soaring towards her, she sidestepped it and threw out a strike with the Sword of the Creator. The relic’s whip-like tip hummed through the air, slicing Edelgard along the arm.

Not willing to let her recover, Byleth stepped up and smashed her boot against Edelgard’s chest. The Emperor rolled backwards, sliding to her feet in one motion. Byleth winced. That move was one she had taught Edelgard personally.

Panting, Edelgard stood up straight and let out a whistle. “You fought well, my teacher. But now, your fight is over.”

Byleth’s eyes widened. Gasps spread like wildfire amongst the troops as they stared in horror at the approaching army of Imperial reserve soldiers. Byleth felt herself warp before she could react and found herself next to Linhardt. Rhea stared at the approaching horde with clear concern, her fists trembling in an uncharacteristic display of emotion.

“Thank you, my child,” Rhea said to Linhardt. She turned to Byleth, her jaw clenched tightly. “Byleth, stand down. I will handle the rest.”

Byleth frowned. “What are you talking about, Rhea?”

Rhea stepped forward, smiling as she stared down at the horde of soldiers fast approaching. “Everybody here, young and old, is in your hands.”

Byleth moved to stop her, but a single glance from Rhea changed her mind. She clenched her teeth, then nodded. “Come on, Linhardt, we need to get everyone out of here.”

* * *

Rhea gazed at the approaching army. The irony was not lost on her that the same empire she had helped create was now attacking her home, similar to what the Agarthans had done to the Nabateans. She frowned, her hands clenched together tightly. “Will humans ever show the capacity to learn?”

_ Well, one human has at least proven to be worthwhile,  _ Rhea thought idly, casting a fond glance at Byleth as the woman shouted orders to the remaining knights.

Turning back to the Imperial host, she bared her fangs. “No. I will not allow another Red Canyon tragedy to happen here.”

She knelt, clasping her hands against the ground and gritting her teeth.  _ Hopefully,  _ Rhea thought, her skin starting to scale over,  _ I will return from this state without losing myself. _

The last thing she saw before letting herself go was a memory of her and Byleth sitting at a table, chatting amicably about her mother while she slept overhead.

* * *

A horrific, guttural roar shook the entire valley. Byleth gazed, wide eyed, as Rhea was consumed by a green light. What emerged was a terrifying white dragon, enormous and grotesque beyond her imagination. Cries of terror sounded from the Imperial army, but they were too slow to react. Rhea let loose an incendiary blast from her maw, melting the front lines of the army. The soldiers broke into a rout, screaming in terror as Rhea tore into them. Byleth spied Claude and Dimitri, still on the front lines, staring in awe at the draconic form Rhea had assumed. Sothis’ words flashed into her mind from before about how strong Rhea truly was, and Byleth was inclined to agree.

However, even as Rhea tore through the enemy, a large number of demonic beasts came bounding forward like twisted puppies, pouncing on Rhea. Without a second thought, Byleth charged down the hill towards the melee. The beasts slammed Rhea into a wall, clambering over her like ants.

Letting out a cry, Byleth whipped her sword out to the furthest it could reach, piercing one of the beasts through it’s demented face mask. Using the opportunity, Rhea threw off the rest of the beasts, hurling them into the deep canyon below. She turned, staring down Byleth with an intense gaze.

“Why did you come?” Rhea asked in a distorted voice. Byleth met her stare, frowning. She felt a chill run down her back and whirled, coming face to face with the strange man who had protected Kronya the night of her father’s death. He grinned, flexing his gloved hands. A dark orb formed between his fingertips, energy arcing off in malevolent waves. He released the blast with a roar, the magic tearing the ground apart as it raced towards Byleth.

Throwing up a shield, Byleth braced herself. The wave smashed against her, pushing her back to the cliff’s edge. With a cry, she sliced the magic in twain with the Sword of the Creator, dispelling it. However, as soon as she moved to rejoin the fray, the ground beneath her shifted.

“Byleth!” Rhea roared out.

Byleth stared in shock as the ground fell out from beneath her. She cried out and reached for solid earth but failed to find any purchase. Plummeting into the deep canyon below, she shut her eyes tight and clutched the Sword of the Creator against her.

_ I’m sorry, Sothis. I failed. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Ty so much for sticking with me to the end <3
> 
> That wraps up Act 1, and if I say so myself, it was a doozy. Unfortunately, Act 2 will be almost entirely absent of any Sothis content. Believe you me, I hate that, but I also want to pace the story properly. There's plenty I intend to do during Act 2 and the timeskip, but I promise the Sothis fluff WILL come. Eventually.  
> Act 2 will probably be a sequence of smaller chapters, and almost NONE of them will be from Byleth's perspective. My goal is to tell the story of Byleth and how she changes in the war through all of the student's perspectives (and Flayn. And also Seteth)
> 
> Anyways! Ty so so so much for reading. Comments, critical or just praise or saying smth nice, give me sustenance and make me feel like my writing is worth something, so comment away! I am completely open to criticism, as long as it isn't just "Bluh bluh this is bad" ;3
> 
> Again, if you want to join my Discord to chat more about writing, Fire Emblem in general, or just dorky things, the link is at the beginning~~~


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